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 2nd 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 2nd 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
daphne.bedard@ville.quebec.qc.ca
Ariane Richard
Manager,
Public Relations, President's Office
Sun Life Quebec
438-364-6807
ariane.richard@sunlife.com
Véronique Bernier
Youth in Mind Foundation
514-529-1000, ext.
110
vbernier@fondationjeunesentete.org
SOURCE Sun Life Financial Canada