Copy
GBF Newsletter 6.9
Aimeriez-vous recevoir le bulletin FGB en français? 
Update your subscription preferences
Français
GBF Logo
 
Dear readers,
 
In this newsletter, we are highlighting some exciting developments related to Integrated Youth Services (IYS) in western Canada:

• Saskatchewan announces funding for an IYS project

• Manitoba announces the five new sites that will join the Manitoba Youth Hubs Initiative

• An interview with Pam Sveinson, Executive Director, Manitoba Youth Hubs Initiative
 
In this issue:
Saskatchewan Government Commits to an Integrated Youth Services Initiative
 
Manitoba Integrated Youth Services (IYS) Initiative Announces Five New Sites


 
An interview with Pam Sveinson, Executive Director, Manitoba Youth Hubs Initiative 


 
Saskatchewan Government Commits to an Integrated Youth Services Initiative
 

The government of Saskatchewan has announced $2 million of funding for an IYS initiative with up to three community sites across the province. GBF has been engaging with the province over the past few years to bring this to reality. We would also like to acknowledge the leadership of the Morris Foundation, who has been working with GBF to engage with the government and other stakeholders on the development of the project. The announcement can be accessed here.
 
GBF wishes to commend the province of Saskatchewan and Health Minister Everett Hindley for making youth mental health a priority. We look forward to working with other foundations and stakeholders to support the Saskatchewan government with this initiative.
 
 
 
Manitoba Integrated Youth Services (IYS) Initiative Announces Five New Sites
The NorWest Co-op Community Health Youth Hub in Winnipeg. Photo supplied by NorWest.
Manitoba has announced the five new sites that will become part of the Manitoba Youth Hubs Initiative. The full press release can be accessed here. The sites are:

•    A Youth Hub serving the Centennial and Point Douglas neighbourhoods in Winnipeg, located at and led by Ka Ni Kanichihk
•    A Youth Hub in downtown Winnipeg led by the Canadian Mental Health Association
•    A Youth Hub in the city of Brandon led by Westman Youth for Christ in partnership with the Brandon Friendship Centre, Career and Employment Youth Services and the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba
•    A Youth Hub based in the city of Selkrik led by Peguis First Nation
•    A Youth Hub serving the St. Boniface/St. Vital neighbourhoods in Winnipeg led by Youville Clinic in partnership with other community-based organizations

These sites are joining the existing Youth Hub at NorWest Co-Op Community Health in Winnipeg. More information on the sites and their local partners can be found here.

GBF has been working with the Manitoba government and several philanthropic organizations over the past four years to bring this project to fruition. The Manitoba Youth Hubs Initiative joins the growing family of IYS projects that are underway in a number of provinces to build easily accessible and culturally appropriate services for youth aged 12-25. GBF believes that this integrated approach with engagement of young people and with alignment across government and philanthropic funders, as well as community organizations, can best meet the needs of youth, including those who are vulnerable or have complex needs. 

The project is jointly funded by the Manitoba government, Shared Health, United Way Winnipeg, the Bell-GBF partnership, RBC Foundation, The Winnipeg Foundation, the Moffat Family Fund, the Réseau Compassion Network and others. The backbone team for the project is housed at United Way Winnipeg and is led by Pam Sveinson. 


 
An interview with Pam Sveinson, Executive Director, Manitoba Youth Hubs Initiative
 
 

The following is an interview that GBF conducted with Pam Sveinson, the Executive Director of the Manitoba Youth Hubs Initiative. 

GBF: Pam, you carried out a thorough selection process (involving youth, philanthropy, community, and government) to choose the five new community sites. What are some key lessons learned from this process? Did anything surprise you? 

Pam Sveinson:  We were thrilled with the response to the Call for Proposals that closed in December 2020. We received 21 compelling proposals from communities across the province (far greater than what we had expected), which clearly demonstrates the tremendous need and interest in scaling Integrated Youth Services (IYS) across Manitoba. The response also underlined the need for youth mental health services in underserved communities, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic.  Thanks to additional philanthropic and government funding, five partnerships (instead of three as originally planned) will be establishing Youth Hubs. Our hope is to continue scaling in rural and remote communities in the future.

In addition, we are so grateful for the support from our philanthropic partners. Several organizations and foundations have been at the table since the Manitoba Initiative’s inception, and two more came on board this year. We have also received incredible conceptual and logistical assistance from others engaged in this work across the country. The teams from Foundry BC, Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario, and the Graham Boeckh Foundation have been very generous in sharing their time, expertise and lessons learned.

GBF: What are you most excited about or looking forward to as you embark on this journey with the five communities?

Pam Sveinson: We are very excited to bring together the five new sites and NorWest (an existing youth hub in Winnipeg) as part of the formal Manitoba Youth Hubs network. We know that a network approach will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of implementing this model of care in Manitoba, enable the communities to support each other by sharing resources, best practices and lessons learned, and further build organizational and collective capacity. In addition, the network will be able to learn from the Youth Hubs led by our Indigenous partners Ka Ni Kanichihk and Peguis First Nation, who will combine Western clinical services with Indigenous models of care, including giving youth access to traditional Indigenous wellness and cultural ceremonies to support their mental health.

We are also excited about initiating a branding exercise and engaging youth to be part of the process.

GBF: What gaps do you expect that the Manitoba Youth Hubs Initiative will be able to fill? 

Pam Sveinson: A few years ago, Manitoba engaged in a comprehensive, province- and system-wide review of mental health and substance use services, resulting in the 2018 VIRGO Report. The Report found that 1 in 3 Manitobans aged 15 and older experience significant mental health or substance use challenges and highlighted the urgent need for early access to services, treatment, and support. We also know that young people in Canada are more likely to experience a mental illness or a substance use disorder than any other age group.  Right now, the pathways to accessing care can be fragmented and unclear, particularly for young people, with limited coordination across the different service providers.
  
We see this as an opportunity to re-envision and transform our systems of care and move to a more integrated, youth-centred approach, grounded in a shared belief that young people and their families should have a voice in their care. We think the initiative has an incredible potential to address some of the gaps in the current system, including accessing care more easily, navigating the system more effectively and getting the care that they need early on. 

GBF: Five new sites will become part of the Manitoba Youth Hubs Initiative, each serving communities with their own unique needs and populations. What key challenges will need to be overcome or addressed for Youth Hubs to be successful in these communities and across the province?

Pam Sveinson: One of the biggest challenges we have faced so far is setting up a systems-transforming initiative in the middle of a pandemic. We are well aware of the numerous challenges many community-based organizations have been dealing with since the pandemic hit and initially hesitated whether it was the right time for this project. However, stakeholders around the table felt strongly about moving forward with the initiative as the need for services was only going to grow – a decision which was clearly supported by the community given the positive response to the Call for Proposals. 

Another challenge we have recognized is the need to engage in a robust common evaluation framework as we have a unique opportunity to demonstrate how valuable the IYS model is for Manitoba youth and families. The organizations who are leading the Youth Hubs are so excited to do this work. The fact that our partners are stepping up to create brand new Youth Hubs, and are eager to take on the challenge, is a testament to their strength and commitment to young people. 

 
Copyright © 2021 Graham Boeckh Foundation, all rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you have opted to
subscribe to our newsletter.

Comments? Questions? Email us

update subscription preferences

unsubscribe

privacy policy
 
Our mailing address is:
 
Graham Boeckh Foundation
1002 Sherbrooke Street West
suite 1725
Montreal, QC H3A 3L6
Canada






This email was sent to <<Email Address>>
why did I get this?    unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences
Graham Boeckh Foundation · 1002 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, Canada · Suite 1725 · Montreal, QC H3A 3L6 · Canada

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp