- Bell Let's Talk invites everyone to join Canada's
15th national day for mental health on Wednesday, January 22, 2025
- Bell Let's Talk Day will feature a text-to-donate campaign in
support of six organizations that are addressing Canada's youth
mental health crisis
- Bell Media showcases a slate of special mental health
programming in English and French on Bell Let's Talk Day
MONTRÉAL, Jan. 6, 2025
/CNW/ - Bell Let's Talk Day kicks off its 15th year of
action and change on January 22 by
putting the spotlight on the growing youth mental health
crisis.
A first for Bell Let's Talk, Canadians are encouraged on
January 22 to support youth mental
health providers by participating in a national text-to-donate
campaign.
On Bell Let's Talk Day, Canadians can donate $5 by text with 100% of the proceeds going to six
youth mental health organizations: Integrated Youth Services,
Jack.org, Kids Help Phone, National Association of Friendship
Centres, Strongest Families Institute, and Youth In Mind
Foundation.
Canadians can double their impact as Bell will match all
$5 donations up to a total of
$1 million.
This year, Canada's annual day for mental health highlights the
progress that has been made and discusses what still needs to be
done to support those with mental health challenges, including
Canada's youth who are facing a growing mental health crisis.
"For 15 years, Canadians have been all-in with supporting Bell
Let's Talk, which continues to move mental health forward for
people across the country. We invite all Canadians to participate
in Bell Let's Talk Day and help support important organizations
that are helping Canada's youth in need of mental health
supports."
- Mary
Deacon, Chair of Bell Let's Talk
In 2025, Bell will give $10
million towards mental health, bringing its total Bell Let's
Talk investment to $184 million since
2010.
New multimedia campaign raises awareness of the crisis facing
Canada's youth
Bell Let's Talk today launched a nationwide
multimedia campaign – Together, let's support youth mental
health – that confronts Canadians with the stark reality of the
urgent youth mental health crisis and the need for more mental
health supports. Designed to get Canadians focused on the crisis
facing young people, the campaign includes the collective call to
action: We can't let this be their future.
A Generation at Risk: The State of Youth Mental Health in
Canada
In consultation with
the mental health community, Bell Let's Talk partnered with Mental
Health Research Canada to prepare the comprehensive national
report, A Generation at Risk: The State of Youth Mental Health in
Canada. Released in October 2024, the report uncovers alarming
statistics about Canada's growing youth mental health crisis:
- Suicide is a leading cause of death: Suicide remains a
leading cause of death among young people in Canada, accounting for 21% of deaths; 24% of
youth (16-24) report suicidal ideation.
- Priority youth populations: 2SLGBTQ+ communities,
newcomers, Black and Indigenous youth have higher rates of poor
mental health and experience barriers to accessing care.
- Early onset of mental health conditions: Youth are
considered a vulnerable population with approximately 66% to 75% of
mental health issues having an onset before the age of 24.
- Self-stigma: While young people are generally
comfortable discussing mental health as a broad topic, they are
less comfortable discussing their own mental health
conditions.
- Contributing factors: Mental health issues increased
among youth before the pandemic and have worsened since then due to
a combination of social disconnection, excessive screen time (6+
hours daily) and socio-economic challenges.
Bell Media programming
As part of the new Bell Let's
Talk Day campaign, Bell Media will feature special mental health
content in English and French across its TV, radio and digital
properties, including a new French language documentary, LES GARS,
FAUT QU'ON SE PARLE available on
Crave, Canal Vie, Canal D, and later on Noovo.
Quotes from Bell Let's Talk Day mental health
providers:
Huddle – Part of the Integrated Youth Services movement in
Canada
"Meaningfully
supporting young people means breaking down barriers and building
more culturally safe spaces led by youth. At Huddle, we're seeing
what's possible when we reimagine and transform systems to truly
meet young people where they are, bringing together all the
supports they need under one welcoming roof."
- Pam
Sveinson, Executive Director, Huddle (part of the IYS
movement in Canada)
Jack.org
"Mental health is the most pressing health
challenge young people face today. Bell Let's Talk is making space
for vital conversation about how we can and must do better to give
young people the tools they need to make it through difficult
times. By providing youth with the community support and education
they need to reach out for timely, appropriate care, we can end the
youth mental health emergency and set young people up with the
skills they need to lead healthy, meaningful lives."
- Vivien
Glencross, Interim President and CEO, Jack.org
Kids Help Phone
"Bell Let's Talk Day is significant in
the Canadian mental health landscape and sends ripples globally. It
will now put a spotlight on the youth mental health crisis,
bringing dialogue and action into the mainstream – in our
conversations, our schools, our communities – and in every corner
of the country. Sometimes finding the right words can be tough, but
that's exactly what the amazing counsellors and crisis responders
at Kids Help Phone are here to do: give young folks a safe space to
feel out loud, 24/7, without judgement. We are grateful for Bell
Let's Talk's unwavering commitment to continually shifting the
landscape and for being alongside Kids Help Phone for many
years."
- Katherine
(Kathy) Hay, President and CEO of Kids Help Phone
National Association of Friendship Centres
"Friendship
Centres provide essential services with the vision of improving the
well-being of Indigenous people living in urban environments. The
Bell Let's Talk campaign gives us the opportunity to highlight this
important work nationally and allows Canadians to support the
mental health of Indigenous youth through the Friendship Centre
Movement."
- Jocelyn W.
Formsma, Chief Executive Office, National Association of
Friendship Centres
Strongest Families Institute
"Canada is facing a youth
mental health crisis, and awareness is just the beginning. Bell
Let's Talk Day has sparked vital conversations, but we must turn
awareness into action. Strongest Families Institute provides
accessible, evidence-based support to youth struggling with their
mental health, providing life-changing skills that help to build
resilience. By addressing mental health challenges early, we can
change the trajectory of young lives and create a healthier, more
hopeful future for all. Together, we can ensure every young person
gets the help they need to thrive."
- Dr. Patricia
Lingley Pottie, President & CEO, Strongest Families
Institute
Youth In Mind Foundation
"Youth in Mind Foundation is
delighted to be associated with this year's Bell Let's Talk
campaign. This major annual campaign has helped break down many
taboos across the country, but we still have a long way to go. With
recent data highlighting the disturbing state of teenagers' mental
health, our mission to raise awareness and prevent psychological
distress is even more critical than ever. This collaboration is
proof that together, we can increase our impact and fill young
people's backpacks with the tools they need to successfully meet
life's challenges."
- Mélanie Boucher, President & CEO,
Youth in Mind Foundation
The Bell Let's Talk Day text-to-donate campaign is made possible
with the support of The Mobile Giving Foundation Canada (MGFC).
Visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk to download the Bell Let's Talk
toolkit and Conversation Guides and share your own actions using
#BellLetsTalk.
About Bell Let's Talk
The largest-ever corporate commitment to mental health in
Canada, Bell Let's Talk has a
vision of a Canada where everyone can get the mental health support
they need to flourish – and is a driver of Bell for Better. Since
its launch in 2010, Bell Let's Talk has partnered with more
than 1,500 organizations providing mental health services
throughout Canada, including hospitals, universities, local
community service providers and other care and research
organizations. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.
Media inquiries
media@bell.ca
@Bell_LetsTalk
@Bell_News
SOURCE Bell Canada (MTL)
