Community Knowledge Centre - Toronto Community Foundation

About this organization

Mission

Sheena’s Place provides hope and support to those with eating disorders and related issues, and their families. Sheena’s Place works with professionals and those personally affected by eating disorders to: provide support; prevent eating disorders; raise awareness; foster education.

We share and encourage the following values and principles: acceptance, respect, accessibility, confidentiality, responsiveness, and personal ownership.

History of Organization

Founded in July 1994, following the tragic death of 22-year old Sheena Carpenter, Trudy Eagan and Jane Fenton who are friends and colleagues of Sheena’s mother, Lynn Carpenter, were motivated to create a support centre for people with eating disorders. They envisioned a non-clinical setting that would offer hope and support to those affected by eating disorders and their families.

Sixteen board members began to develop the vision and mission and undertook the task of raising funds. A location in downtown Toronto, accessible by public transit and close to colleges and universities was sought.  In May 1996, a comfortable old house on 87 Spadina Road was purchased, and in October 1996, Sheena’s Place opened its doors. 

From the beginning, programs and services have been offered free of charge without government funding for operations. Sheena’s Place continues to rely on the generous support of individuals, foundations, corporations and revenue from special events to maintain services.

Accolades and Accomplishments

Clients can access a support group within 72 hours of first contact at Sheena’s Place.
In 2009, we provided direct support to 1,700 individuals, reached an additional 7,400 though our community outreach initiatives, and experienced 164,500 site specific visits to our website. 
We also partnered with the Eating Disorder Program at Toronto General Hospital and offered an all day Family Support Workshop. One client said “Workshops like this continue to demonstrate Sheena’s Place as a HOPE HAVEN for me and my family.”

Programs

>Support Group
>Community Outreach in Our City and Online
>Volunteerism and Mentorship

Sheena’s Place program objectives and activities are multi-fold:

• Provide direct service in the form of professionally facilitated support groups to those with eating disorders, their families and friends.
• Provide Drop-In & Information Interviews for prospective clients to learn more about the agency.
• Raise awareness about eating disorders, healthy eating and positive body image.
• Share our knowledge with other leading healthcare professionals and the media.
• Provide resources on eating disorders and related issues through our library, and our website. At 164,500 site specific visits in 2009, we are currently assessing new ways to provide additional resources to both young adults and parents so that they can access support online 24/7. One program underway is an e-Learning module for parents who are coping with a family member who has an eating disorder.
• Provide training and supervision for university and college students from a variety of disciplines including social work, nurses, mental health, and marketing.
• Provide community based presentations to raise awareness.

Support Group

Research shows direct support groups provide people affected by eating disorders with an important sense of well being and community. In our groups, clients with similar issues and concerns come together to share experiences, thoughts, feelings, and coping strategies.  The facilitators that lead each group session have an extensive background and direct experience in working with individuals with eating disorders. The facilitators are paid by Sheena's Place on a fee for service basis.

Groups reflect different themes and areas of focus including:

• Support Groups: Individuals help each other by sharing stories and receiving encouragement from others. There are groups for young adults, adults, college and university students, mothers, women at mid life, and there are groups specifically for families, friends and partners of those with eating disorders. 

• Body Image Groups: Through gentle physical movement like dance, nia, and yoga, participants rediscover strengths, and learn new ways to manage the stresses of daily life.

• Skill Building Groups: These groups present new ways of coping and strategies for making changes.

• Expressive Arts Groups: Participants find their “voice” through the various art mediums to express feelings and release difficult emotions.

Funding and Program Partners

There are no program partners. We are the only organization of this type in Toronto and the GTA.

For three quarters in 2010, the Ontario Arts Council funded the group ‘Connecting Life to Beauty Through Weaving’, facilitated by Patricia Phelan.

Program Impact

Walking into Sheena’s Place is the first step towards recovery, moving out of isolation and into a supportive community. Clients can access support within 72 hours of contact. In 2009, we supported 1,700 individuals. These Individuals may take up to two groups per quarter; therefore, there were 3,250 registrations in 132 different groups. We also provided 27 Nourishing Hope Workshops throughout the year to 627 individuals. In our most recent client participation survey, 90 per cent of our clients modified their behaviour, after attending a support group.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“…lifestyle choices, such as how much we exercise and what we eat, can have a greater effect on our mental and physical health than the availability of doctors or technologies.” (Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Participant Vignette

At Sheena’s Place I Found My Voice

“I had no voice. I had no space to share my own thoughts, feelings, hopes, fears. The anorexic voice filled my whole being – telling me what not to eat, when not to eat, where I could not eat, with whom I could not eat, and most importantly, why I should not eat.

As the anorexic voice took over, crowded out my own voice, I disappeared literally and figuratively. As my own voice got smaller, so too did my body.

There was, however, one space where I could quiet the anorexic chatter in my head – Sheena’s Place. Even though the anorexic voice was still there, it was pushed to the back of my mind as I listened to others talk about their own experiences, beliefs, courage. Their words made a little more room for my own voice to emerge, when it was ready.

One day after finding the courage to fight, I woke up and my own voice said, clearly, “I am able to eat more today.”

Today my recovery is fuelled by my passion to create spaces where all of our voices can be heard I share my story both through my PhD research and through advocacy opportunities that Sheena’s Place has provided me.

It’s not easy. Choosing recovery, choosing life, choosing to feel is the hardest and bravest and best thing that I have ever done in my life. – Client

Community Outreach in Our City and Online

We are committed to raising awareness and providing information about eating disorders to the communities we serve. In 2009, our community outreach initiatives targeted 7,400 individuals from front line health care workers to teachers and parents.

Our lending library offers over 600 books on eating disorders and related issues, and is often a primary resource for students in high school, college and university.

Our comprehensive website also registered 164,500 site specific visits in one year.

As the need for our services and information about eating disorders continues to grow we are assessing new ways to reach more individuals and to share our knowledge in a more meaningful way. We are currently developing an eLearning module for parents that they can access online 24/7 to learn how to cope with a family member who has an eating disorder.

Further funding will enable us to evaluate and expand our range of online tools for support from additional eLearning modules for our clients to online information seminars for the communities we serve. The online service expansion will help us reach more individuals when they need support the most.

Funding and Program Partners

Sheena’s Place is a referral and complimentary resource to Ontario Community Outreach Program for Eating Disorders at the Hospital for Sick Children and the National Eating Disorder Information Centre.

As the primary model we regularly share our expertise with four other eating disorder centres in Ontario and the following organizations: 519 Church, CAMH, Canadian Institute of Health Research, City Hall, George Brown College, Girls on the Run, H.E.Y.Y., Humber River Health Centre, Kids Help Phone, Rexdale Community Health Centre, Ryerson University, Scadding Court Community Centre, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, York University, Youth Link and Youth Philanthropy Initiatives.

Program Impact

According to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), anorexia affects 1% to 2% of Canadian women between the ages of 15 and 25, and bulimia affects between 3% and 5% of Canadian women in this age group.  That adds up to over 85,000 sufferers in Ontario alone.
Anorexia nervosa has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness – it is estimated that 10% of individuals with anorexia will die within 10 years of the onset of the disorder.

Our community outreach and online initiatives are essential to the health and well-being of our city and in keeping with our mission of providing support, and raising awareness.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

“Social and economic inequalities, lifestyle choices and access have a major impact on people’s health.”
“Successful communities offer residents abundant, affordable, and flexible opportunities to learn in formal school settings, at work, or online.”
“Education and prosperity are closely linked, and successful cities depend on continuous learning.”

(Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Participant Vignette

“Sheena's Place is committed to providing tangible help to individuals for whom resources are scarce to none. In Toronto, there are only ten publicly funded hospital beds to treat those with an eating disorder. In addition, individuals often require becoming "treatment-motivated" and Sheena's Place's non-judgmental support group model plays a pivotal role for those waiting for treatment and for those who are in recovery.

Our organization (the Ontario Community Outreach Program for Eating Disorders) has enjoyed a long-term partnership and strategic relationship with Sheena's Place. Both of our organizations focus on promoting choices to improve body satisfaction and body care, self esteem, well-being and healthy lifestyles.

 Sheena's Place is a highly regarded registered charity in Toronto.  We have been impressed with their numerous awareness activities promoting the role of healthy eating and active living in the context of overall body positive health.”

                                          Dr. Gail McVey, Director, Ontario Community Outreach Program for Eating Disorders

Volunteerism and Mentorship

Our volunteers are a passionate, talented and dedicated team. They welcome and supply information to our clients in person, and on the phone, offer essential support at special events and assist in education, outreach and fundraising. Without them we could not provide the range of services we offer to those in need of our assistance and support.
As a teaching organization, Sheena’s Place offers placements to university and college students from professional programs. Their youth, energy and intelligence bring new perspectives, their ideas enrich our programs, their dedication and their commitment help us to expand our service delivery. By increasing their understanding of eating disorders. Sheena’s Place is helping to educate tomorrow’s healthcare practitioners.

Funding and Program Partners
We are the only organization of this type in Toronto and the GTA.

Program Impact

Our volunteers make an impact in our workplace and our community. In 2009, 240 volunteers provided 4,907 hours of service from administration to speaking in the community, fundraising and supporting special projects. Many of our volunteers have been affected by eating disorders, and offer themselves as volunteers in order to give back because of the support they received at Sheena's Place.
Our students gain a greater understanding of the complexities of eating disorders and how to apply their new knowledge when they join the work force. In 2009, we provided placements to six students.

Toronto's Vital Signs® indicator(s) addressed by Program

"Opportunities to contribute our unique talents, including becoming community leaders, are key to the vitality of our city.”

“Youth in the Toronto Region have been particularly affected by the contraction in the economy. The unemployment rate in June 2009 for 15-24 year-olds rose to 20.1% from 15.3% in June 2008 (close to the Ontario average rate of 18.9% and a 31.4% increase over the year).”
(Toronto’s Vital Signs®, 2009)

Participant Vignette

“My student placement was a rich learning opportunity.  I helped clients by guiding information interviews, co-facilitated support groups, conducted program evaluations, assisted with writing grant proposals and observed the processes of policy development.”

Antonella Lippis, Masters student University of Toronto’s Faculty of Social Work (2009)