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Consumer Survivor Initiative of Niagara

A Message from the Webmaster | Un message du Webmaster

I want to offer my sincerest apologies for the lengthy delay in updating the content on this site. I experienced a significant loss, (the passing of my partner of 30 years) recently and my grieving process has been difficult. I have talked with the Initiative's Executive Director to reaffirm my commitment to her and to my ongoing management of this site's content on her behalf. Again, I am truly sorry. Check back soon... content updates are coming.

Je tiens à vous présenter mes excuses les plus sincères pour le long délai de mise à jour du contenu de ce site. J'ai connu une perte importante (le décès de mon partenaire de 30 ans) récemment et mon processus de deuil a été difficile. J'ai parlé avec le directeur exécutif de l'Initiative pour réaffirmer mon engagement envers elle et ma gestion continue du contenu de ce site en son nom. Encore une fois, je suis vraiment désolé.

Revenez bientôt ... les mises à jour de contenu arrivent.

An enormous loss for our community, we mourn the loss of Pat Capponi

PATRICIA CAPPONI (Pat) Order of Canada 1947 - 2020 "The most effective advocate the poor and mentally ill have had anywhere, one of the most devastating authors Canada has known, and easily the classiest argument ever made for wearing cowboy hats in all weather, all day, indoors and out." Pat would appreciate your watching the video she produced just before her death:

"What Reva Taught Me". "We, those with lived experience, must challenge the status quo; we must be the change agents, we must dare to speak our truths even when gate-keepers and those who derive their status and employment from our communities deny us our right to speak, to engage, to point out the systemic failures that guarantee their jobs and our continued poverty." Pat Capponi

Read Pat's obituary here.

And, we will miss another extraordinary advocate for mental health and additions issues, Frances Jewell

Frances passed away peacefully at the age of 60. She will be missed by many, including her friends at the

Consumer Survivor Initiative of Niagara. Read Frances' obituary here.

About Us

WHO ARE WE?

The Consumer Survivor Initiative of Niagara (CSI Niagara) is a consumer/survivor-driven organization motivated by the belief that self-help groups can improve people's potential, increase their self-esteem, and inspire them to self-advocacy.

CSI Niagara is one of many alternative community-based support organizations available throughout the Niagara Region. Our focus is on the empowerment of our members. Our self-help group believe strongly in the value of lived experience and in sharing personal experiences with other group members.

WHAT ARE OUR OBJECTIVES?

CSI Niagara was incorporated in February 1997 with two primary objectives:

To build a functional consumer/survivor self-help organization for establishing and supporting self-help groups throughout the Niagara Region. Consumer/survivors are defined as people who have or do, or are likely to use any aspect of the mental health system. Self-help is defined as mutual support ~ people help each other by sharing personal experiences with one another; and,

To promote the strength of the consumer/survivor movement through unity, public education, board development and leadership training. These initiatives shall be consumer/survivor-driven and draw on the strength and wisdom of consumer/survivors' life experiences to build support systems and to enrich the communities in which we live.

Our values...

At CSI Niagara, we strongly value peer support as a key element for recovery for many people with mental health problems. Peer Support involves people coming together with common experiences to draw upon their own strengths to help themselves and one another.

Peer Support groups can help people cope with mental health struggles like depression, anxiety, anger management and many more. Our groups are formed to provide support for people with similar life experiences.

What about our services?

We serve the Niagara Region.

Our services are free.

Our office is wheelchair accessible.

We serve all genders.

We serve people who are 16 years old or older.

We offer our services in English.

We are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM.