Catch da Flava Radio - Erdine Hope, Mental Health Case Worker

For this edition of Catch da Flava Youth Radio, we talked to Erdine Hope, a mental health case worker  in the Regent Park community, about mental health, addiction and her journey to being clean for 22 years.

Jaidyn and I delved into the challenging and rewarding world of a mental health case worker and learned about what a mental health case worker does, the challenges they face, and how Erdine started her career as a case worker.

Erdine talked about her ongoing work with youth who have mental illness and/or addictions. She gets connected with youth in need through the courts, hospitals, and on a referral basis. One intriguing challenge she talked about was the difference between  working with men and women. From her twenty years of experience, she’s found that women are, “harder to transition into case management because they are more self-reliant.” On the other hand, she's found that men usually rely on the one-on-one support that comes with case management.

Furthermore, we learned about Erdine’s extensive list of volunteer work that she is dedicated to. She talked about her work as the vice chair of the Regent Focus Board and her volunteer work with the Toronto Writers Collective. Erdine’s resume is 5 pages long, which is something we should all strive for!

We also learned about Erdine’s work as a writer and how creative writing has impacted her life. Most recently, she will have two of her poems published in Voices from The Street.

Erdine grew up in the Regent Park area and still actively works and contributes to the community. If you see her on the streets don’t be afraid to say hi, she’s extremely warm and friendly!

By: Nicholas Ramsubick and Jaidyn King