A third investment fund for the mental health of Quebec City youth
A COLLECTIVE MOBILIZATION
Youth in Mind Foundation, Quebec City, and Sun Life are joining forces for a third time. Together, they are announcing a three-year, $100,000 fund to benefit over 2,300 young people in the Quebec City area.
The fund aims to improve access to mental health care for teenagers by simultaneously focusing on prevention, awareness, and intervention. After all, timely action is the most effective action—a sentiment echoed by Marie-Chantal Côté of Sun Life: “Getting the right support at the right time can really change the trajectory of your life.”
It is precisely this duty to act that motivated the renewal of this partnership. “We have a collective responsibility not only to look after our young people, but also to offer them hope for the future,” says Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand.
PRACTICAL SUPPORT IN THE FIELD
The $100,000 will be divided between three local organizations. As Mélanie Boucher, President and CEO of Youth in Mind Foundation explains, the objective is simple: “to ensure that no young person in distress falls through the cracks.”
Beneficiary organizations:
- Accès Psy: Facilitates access to psychotherapy for young people from low-income families. Up to 16 psychotherapy sessions offered. Around 8 to 12 young people supported per year.
- Entraide Jeunesse Québec: Prevention and awareness activities addressing stress, anxiety, relationships, and conflict resolution. Around 750 young people reached each year.
- Fondation Ancrage Jeunesse: The Envol vers l’autonomie project is aimed towards young people aged 16 to 25 who are or have been in the youth protection system. Up to 20 counselling sessions offered. Around 15 young people supported each year.
A LONG-TERM COMMITMENT
Since 2020, Youth in Mind Foundation has invested $225,000 in youth mental health in the Est-du-Québec and Capitale-Nationale regions. This local presence has been consolidated for over a year now with a permanent team in Quebec City. Over its more than 25‑year history, the Foundation has helped equip over 1.4 million young people across Quebec through its prevention workshops.
This third Mental Health Investment Fund builds on the momentum of the Bal du maire, which has raised more than $8.5 million for the community to date.
HELP PREVENT PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE ACROSS QUEBEC
The mission of Youth in Mind Foundation is to prevent psychological distress among teens in all regions of Quebec. Destigmatizing, raising awareness, and empowering: These are the concrete actions our team takes every day.