More than 7,000 young people in the Quebec City area to receive support through the 2nd Mental Health Investment Fund

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Ville de Quebec logo (CNW Group/Sun Life Financial Canada)

More than 7,000 young people in the Quebec City area will receive support through the 2nd Mental Health Investment Fund (CNW Group/Sun Life Financial Canada)

QUEBEC CITY, QC, Nov. 9, 2023 /CNW/ - Bruno Marchand, Mayor of Quebec City, and Jacques Goulet, President, Sun Life Canada, are proud to announce today the four agencies that will benefit from the 2^nd Mental Health Investment Fund.

This Fund, announced at the Quebec City Mayor's Ball in December 2022, is $100,000 over three years. Sun Life and Quebec City are contributing $75,000 and $25,000, respectively.

Managed by the Youth in Mind Foundation, the Fund will support agencies with mental health missions that complement the Foundation's activities:

• Treatment: improving health care access for vulnerable teens in the Capitale-Nationale region
• Screening: detecting early warning signs in high schools in Quebec City
• Raising awareness: delivering Youth in Mind Foundation's Mental Health Basics and Partners for life programs free of charge in Quebec City high schools

Over the next three years, the Fund will provide outreach and support to more than 7,000 young people.

"When it comes to the mental health of our teenagers, we have a collective responsibility to take concrete action," said Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand. Psychological distress is the number one factor in school dropout rates, and 50 per cent of mental health problems begin before the age of 14. This fund gives organizations the means to act quickly and directly with teens—whether through prevention, awareness, or treatment initiatives—and ultimately change lives."   

"The mental health crisis among teenagers across the country is particularly alarming," said Jacques Goulet, President, Sun Life Canada. "We must work together to eliminate stigma and empower teens to prioritize their mental health. This Fund will help increase awareness, prevention and access to care for thousands of young people in the Capitale-Nationale region."

Recipient organizations for the next three years:
The organizations benefiting from the 2^nd Mental Health Investment Fund for the next three years are:

• Accès PSY – This organization promotes access to mental health services for low-income youth to prevent mental health issues from becoming severe or chronic. Lack of access to psychological services has significant consequences for the development and well-being of young people.
  Amount invested: $36k, and support for 75 young people.
• BienAvecMonCorps – The project consists of body image workshops for high school students in the Quebec City area. One in two teenagers is unhappy with their physical appearance, a phenomenon that has been associated with an increased risk of developing depression, anxiety, eating disorders and low self-esteem.
  Amount invested: $24k, and workshops for 6,500 young people.
• Centre de pédiatrie sociale de Québec – The goal of the Corps, cœur et esprit project is to improve the mental health of socially disadvantaged youth and foster equity. The project provides an additional 50 hours of therapy per week, or more than 2,500 sessions per year, through a variety of approaches, including art, music, and nature and adventure, as well as equine therapy, pet therapy and psychotherapy (sexologist).
  Amount invested: $36k, and help for 450 young people.
• Youth in Mind Foundation – Two awareness workshops, Mental Health Basics and Partners for life, are offered free of charge in Capitale-Nationale high schools. The sessions introduce mental health concepts to teenagers and teach them how to detect signs of psychological distress.
  Amount invested: $3k + $1k for fund management, and outreach for 120 young people.

"With the support of these three youth advocacy partners, we are expanding our reach to support young people and have an impact where needs are most urgent," said Mélanie Boucher, President and CEO of Youth in Mind Foundation. "Given the current situation, it's important to join forces and combine our expertise to give teenagers the help and tools they need to build good mental health."

About Youth In Mind Foundation

The mission of the Youth in Mind Foundation is to prevent psychological distress in young people ages 11 to 18 in Quebec. For 45 years, we have been fulfilling this mission by providing teens, their parents and school staff with online tools and awareness workshops in schools. Destigmatize, raise awareness, and empower: this is what we do every day to help the next generations face life's challenges.

To learn more about us, visit fondationjeunesentete.org/en/

Sun Life in the community

Sun Life is sustainability-driven, focusing on areas where it can have the greatest impact. By actively supporting the communities in which Sun Life lives and works, the organization can help build a positive environment for Clients, employees, advisors, and shareholders. Physical health and mental health are at the centre of its philanthropic support, with a focus on supporting programs and organizations that strive to empower Canadians to live their healthiest lives no matter where they are in their journey. Sun Life employees and advisors take great pride in volunteering and giving back to make life brighter for individuals and families across Canada. Learn more about Sun Life in the community.

Source: 

Daphné Bédard
Communications Department
Ville de Québec
418-724-6210
[email protected]

Ariane Richard
Manager, Public Relations, President's Office
Sun Life Quebec
438-364-6807
[email protected]

Véronique Bernier
Youth in Mind Foundation
514-529-1000, ext. 110
[email protected]

SOURCE Sun Life Financial Canada