Speakers:

Amy Bilodeau, Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN)

"Youth Pulse Check : A Collaborative Community-based Research on Mental Health of English-speaking Youth across Quebec" 

The Youth Pulse Check was a collaborative community-based online survey filled out by 456 English-speaking youth between the ages of 18-29 from 14 regions across the province of Quebec. The purpose of the survey was to gain insight into the wellbeing of English-speaking youth and their experience accessing mental health care and supports across Quebec during the COVID-19 pandemic. The data collection period was from December 20, 2021 – March 31, 2022. 

The survey revealed that overwhelmingly English-speaking youth feel there is a dramatic lack of adequate mental health services and supports in English in their regions. While many youth reported having sought out help in the past without success, other youth reported not having sought out help at all because of a lack of information about services to which they might turn.

The survey findings suggest that high numbers of Quebec’s English-speaking youth are experiencing struggles exacerbated by feelings of disempowerment, frustration, and isolation that come from not being able to, or not knowing how to, access adequate mental health support.

Bobbie Variantzas, Leading English Education and Research Network (LEARN) Quebec

"The Wellness Innovation Lab"

The Wellness Innovation Lab is an interactive and dynamic way to understand the mental health and wellness needs of students aged 15- 29 in secondary and adult education. Participating in the Wellness Innovation Lab allows youth, teachers, school staff, and key community partners to get together to brainstorm ideas. The goal is supporting social and emotional learning of youth through regular activities that become part of the school culture. Working collaboratively enables them to develop local solutions to address mental health and wellness challenges in their own particular settings.

Benefits of the Innovation Lab include:  

• Gathering stories about student mental wellness
• Amplifying what is working with a school’s mental health strategy
• Prototyping activities to address wellness needs and gaps

The Lab also allows solutions rooted in teacher and student voices to emerge and take shape to respond to current needs. The process starts with exploring and validating Mental Health initiatives already taking place in a school/center. It allows for them to be “made better” by participants and for new initiatives that can be practiced regularly to be implemented, thus positively impacting school climate.