Monday marks the start of Canadian Mental Health Awareness week, and many organizations are trying to keep the conversation going regarding mental health issues and available resources that people can access.
Emma Martin, the community relations director for WesForYouth, said along with the Run Phil Run event that they’ll be a part of with Classic Rock host Phil Main, they’re hoping people take away an important message from this week, particularly local youth.
"It’s okay to not be okay, and you’re not alone in this journey," she said. "There are many people that are walking, running or crawling through the journey alongside you, and that there are many supports in place."
WesForYouth will be hosting a number of different events throughout the rest of this week, including the Run Phil Run stop in Walkerton on Wednesday at Sacred Heart High School, where they will host a fundraising barbeque.
Martin said the week is especially important for local youth to understand they’re not alone and help is always available.
"We want the youth in our community and across the province of Ontario to know that they can talk about anything, anywhere, anytime and that they can use our service for free whenever they need to," she said.
With possible provincial government cuts to health care, mental health resources will also be affected in terms of funding. Martin said that they will need to look to other resources to keep delivering their service.
"Through corporate partnerships, family foundations and some other different connections within the community and the province at large," she said.
Martin said WesForYouth and other mental health organizations will need to pool resources together and send the message that there is a need for funding and that they will rally behind that need together with local communities.
