Give to United Way to help youth struggling with mental health
Youth on Southern Vancouver Island are facing unprecedented challenges with their mental health. Locally, one in three residents face worse or much worse mental health compared to pre-pandemic, and youth are at higher risk, reporting significant anxiety, depression and stress. The situation has been described by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a growing crisis in mental health.
Early intervention is crucial in giving young people the support and skills to navigate their challenges before they become severe. Suicide is a leading cause of death in young people. While many mental health conditions can be effectively treated at relatively low cost, there is a gap in services that our young people can access.
There is good news: when donors like you step up to support mental health services for our youth, our communities can thrive. Last year, because of you and the collective generosity of our donors and the dedication of our frontline partners, United Way Southern Vancouver Island helped 10,000 of our neighbours find hope and compassion through life-changing counselling and emotional support services.
“Honestly, this is the first time that I have felt like I have been seen for who I am instead of for what I’m doing wrong,” says Jenna*, age 14, who received support through the critical programs delivered by our community partners
Your donation will help youth access vital services, including a crisis helpline, one-on-one counselling, outreach, group therapy, and peer support. Together, we can ensure that young people can access the help they need, where they need it, and when they need it most.
Need for Your Support
One of the services that are locally available but facing increased demand is Youthspace, a United Way funded program delivered by Need2 Suicide Prevention Education & Support. “In less than four months, the program staff and volunteers have received almost 1,000 calls for support,” says Sabrina Studney, executive director of Need2. “We are facing a significant increase in number of active suicide chats, meaning more youth are connecting with us to ask for help because they are thinking of suicide, or have taken actions to end their lives. Funding these services allows us to continue to provide youth in need with low-barrier access to crisis intervention and emotional support.”
(*Name has been changed to protect privacy)