Jul 9

Written by: admin
09/07/2009 8:19 AM

mindyourmind, an award winning mental health program created for youth by youth, will reopen its doors thanks to a collaborative partnership with the Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child and Youth Mental Health. Following the May 1st shut down of mindyourmind, an outpouring of support from youth, parents, educators and counselors underscored the essential service that mindyourmind provides to youth and those who care about and support them.

Funded by the Ministry of Children and Youth Services, the Provincial Centre of Excellence will support a comprehensive evaluation of impact of the mindyourmind program. Sandra Savage, Acting Executive Director of Family Service Thames Valley says “We are thrilled to have mindyourmind available to youth once again, and wish to thank The Honourable Deb Matthews and her staff for their support. We also wish to thank the hundreds of individuals and groups from across the province and beyond who reached out in support of this service. To the youth who collected hundreds of signatures and letters of support, to the parents who reached out to offer assistance and to the educators, counselors, health care providers who stood behind the service, we thank you.”

Ian Manion, Executive Director of the Provincial Centre of Excellence states: “The Centre recognizes the potential value of this creative and innovative resource in supporting the best mental health and well-being of children and youth. We are looking forward to working with this dedicated group of young people to evaluate the impact of mindyourmind.ca and help build the foundation for its long-term sustainability”

mindyourmind and its various broadcasting channels (http://mindyourmind.ca, mindyourmindpro.ca,Youtube, MySpace, Facebook) saw more than 1 million visitors in 2008. Created in partnership with youth who have volunteered over 5,000 hours, mindyourmind.ca is recognized as an innovative model of youth engagement.

mindyourmind, a program of Family Service Thames Valley, is an innovative award winning youth engagement program and website for youth between the ages of 15-24 years old. mindyourmind provides the necessary info, resources and skill building tools to enable youth and emerging adults to reach out, get help and to give help to their friends. It aims to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness by reframing perceptions, challenging stereotypes and equipping youth with the knowledge and information they need to effect change. mindyourmind commits to creating technology and communication platforms to help youth connect with each other and enable them to promote positive mental health within their own communities and global networks. For more information visit mindyourmind.ca and mindyourmindpro.ca
For more information or interviews, please contact:

Sandra Savage
Acting Executive Director
Family Service Thames Valley
519.433.0183 ext. 7120 or (519) 494-9460
ssavage@familyservicethamesvalley.com

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