Hub Staff

The youth of Saugeen Shores can Connect, Ask, Reach and Engage (C.A.R.E.) during a planned May event geared towards dealing with youth mental health, stigma, and suicide prevention.

During the January 9 Committee of a Whole meeting, representatives from the Grey Bruce We C.A.R.E. Project asked Saugeen Shores councillors for community support in providing a facility - namely the Plex - free of charge or at a discounted rate for a May 12 We C.A.R.E. ‘Share’ event which will provide over 300 Saugeen Shores youths with a free of charge learning experience.

The Grey Bruce We C.A.R.E. Project began in 2012 following a concerning number of deaths by suicide in area high schools. It is an initiative of community agencies, police services, and school boards that recognize the importance of not only suicide prevention among youth but also mental health and life promotion.

The goal of the ‘Share’ event is to bring adults and youth together to create greater awareness about youth mental health and life promotion. Adults and youths will be able to make their voices heard, helping the other demographic to understand what each side is going through. Following a keynote address, participants will attend a topic-specific workshop co-facilitated by a mental health professional and young person. In the afternoon, participants attend workshops that explore coping tools that could be used to support good mental health.

Following positive discussion between Vice Deputy Mayor Diane Huber and Councillors Cheryl Grace and Don Matheson, acting Mayor, Deputy Mayor Luke Charbonneau said “there is a clear sense that we’re eager to help” and praised the group, making particular mention of their website wecaregreybruce.ca. “To have all of that information for young people in one place, where they can access it and figure out where to get help when they need help, that so critical.”

Charbonneau then said that he appreciates the work We C.A.R.E. does for “our community and all over the region”.

Mental Health Lead for We C.A.R.E., Ann-Marie Deas, who spoke to councillors alongside Brandi Gowan, Parents for Children’s Mental Heath, said, “We are getting better at catching kids and supporting kids in Grey Bruce,” but added, “the work is never done.”

Deas said that there still needs to be more mental health awareness in the schools. She said the right steps have been taken and that schools in Grey Bruce all have suicide prevention protocols that have been developed and added that We C.A.R.E. wants to make an impact on Saugeen Shores. “We really feel that Saugeen Shores will be a great opportunity to reach a lot of kids.”

Grey Bruce We C.A.R.E. Representative Ann-Marie Deas and Brandi Gowan (grey) asked councillors to become community partners and offer a facility at low- or no- cost for their We C.A.R.E. ‘Share’ event May 12 during the January 9 Saugeen Shores Committee of the Whole. The event focusses on youth mental health.