The Mental Health Strategy for Canada: A Youth Perspective
In March 2013, the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s Youth Council (YC) came up with the idea to rewrite or “translate,” from a youth perspective, Changing Directions, Changing Lives: The Mental Health Strategy for Canada. The main aim of their project was to develop a supplemental document that highlights the experiences and vision of young people working toward system change, ultimately making the original Strategy a more accessible document to all.
Over the course of two years, the YC met in person four times to work through the Strategy, page by page. Using a critical youth lens, they rewrote all six strategic directions, drawing on personal experiences to make sense of a large policy document and turn it into something original. While the Strategy team consulted with hundreds of youth and their families during the initial writing process, the policy focus of the document meant that many people could find it challenging to access. The YC hopes that the new version helps to overcome this challenge. Download The Mental Health Strategy for Canada: A Youth Perspective here.
Taking the Next Step Forward
This comprehensive report, commissioned by the MHCC and developed in partnership with a research team from the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, details the current state of policies and practices in the area of youth transitioning from child and youth to adult mental health and addiction services. Download Taking the Next Step Forward here.