Peer support training program helps North Bay-area youth struggling with mental health
Peer support training is growing in North Bay, Ont., and it is helping youth who struggle with ongoing battles with mental illness.
A ceremony was held on August 9, 2024, at OUTLoud Commuity Centre in North Bay, Ont., that outlined the work that is being done to provide free peer support training for youth in the area and celebrate its success. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)
A ceremony was held Friday at the city’s 2SLGBTQA+ youth hub that outlined the work that is being done to provide free peer support training for youth in the area and officials gave an update on the program’s success and future.
The OUTLoud Community Centre is a safe space for the 2SLGBTQA+ community and all youth.
“We are seeing kids support each other on a daily basis,” said Seth Compton, the centre’s executive director and OUTLoud’s founder.
Jackson Pauls,19, took the training two years ago. Speaking with CTV News at the ceremony Pauls recalled the difficult, but life-changing conversations that took place.
“It really put into perspective how many people needed just someone to talk to,” he said.
Two years ago, the Lived Experience and Recovery Network (LERN) began partnering with OUTLoud through a $225,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation grant to start the training.
In 2022, the Lived Experience and Recovery Network began a partnership with OUTLoud through a Ontario Trillium Foundation grant to start a peer support training for youth in the area. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)“The most important piece is understanding that our community lacks in resources and services,” Compton said.
“For us, we see a lot of kids deal with self-harm.”
To date, nearly 50 youth between the ages of 12 - 24 who live in the Nipissing and Parry Sound-Muskoka districts have taken the free training. Official with the program told CTV News that goal is to train 50 more youth over the next few months before the grant ends in March.
“Some of the topics that we talk about are distress and crisis,” said Kari Sterling, LERN’s regional director.
“We talk about suicide. We talk about what peer support values are and the role of peer support.”
Kari Sterling is Lived Experience and Recovery Network regional director. She is pictured here at a ceremony was held August 9, 2024, at OUTLoud Community Centre in North Bay, Ont., that outlined the work that is being done to provide free peer support training for youth in the area and to celebrate the program's success. (Eric Taschner/CTV News Northern Ontario)
Studies conducted the Mental Health Commission of Canada found that less than 20 per cent of youth receive the appropriate help with their mental health struggles.
The hope is, once trained, these youth will engage with friends their age who struggle with mental health, have one-on-one conversations with them and point them in the right direction towards services and help, should they need it.
“It gives them an opportunity to have the right tools and skills they need to support somebody in a proper way,” Sterling said.
Pauls said he was able to use the training on himself and with others.
“It’s awesome when you can see someone actually smile and say, ‘Thank you for talking to me,’” he said.
“It does bring a certain joy.”
Statistics from the Canadian Mental Health Association show one in five youth are affected by some form of mental illness or disorder and suicide continues to be the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults.
LERN has two more free in-person training sessions scheduled, the first for those ages 18 - 24 runs on Aug. 21 - 22 at North Bay’s Homewood Suites and the second for those ages 12 - 18 runs on Oct. 24 -25 at Rosseau Lake College in Rosseau, Ont.
More information on the upcoming training sessions can be found here.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Two-month GST holiday bill expected to pass the House today, Conservatives to vote against
The federal government's five-page piece of legislation to enact Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's promised two-month tax break on a range of consumer goods over the holidays, is expected to pass in the House of Commons by the end of the day.
Canada Post temporarily laying off striking workers, union says
The union representing Canada Post workers says the Crown corporation has been laying off striking employees as the labour action by more than 55,000 workers approaches the two-week mark.
B.C. man lied about cancer diagnosis while dodging $330K debt, court hears
A construction contractor from B.C.’s Lower Mainland has been ordered to repay a $330,000 loan from a friend who gave him leeway for years, despite her own financial suffering – all because she was under the false impression he had brain cancer.
Good Samaritan killed in tragic accident while helping stranded Calgary driver
Calgary police say a Good Samaritan who stopped to help another motorist was killed in an accident on Wednesday night.
Man jumps out of moving roller-coaster after safety belt fails
Terrifying video shows a man jumping out of a moving roller-coaster in Arizona after he says his safety belt failed.
Listeria contamination concerns prompt mushroom recall: Health Canada
Health Canada says customers across Ontario and Quebec should throw out or return any O’Ya hoho brand Enoki mushrooms due to listeria concerns.
W5 Investigates 'Let me rot in Canada,' pleads Canadian ISIS suspect from secret Syrian prison
W5's Avery Haines tells the story of Jack Letts, a Canadian Muslim convert in a Syrian jail, accused of being a member of ISIS. In part two of a three-part investigation, Haines speaks with Letts, who issues a plea to return to Canada to face justice.
Canada's antitrust watchdog sues Google alleging anti-competitive conduct in advertising
Canada's Competition Bureau is suing Alphabet's Google over alleged anti-competitive conduct in online advertising, the antitrust watchdog said on Thursday.
Canadian woman shares methanol poisoning story in wake of death investigation in Laos hostel
Cuddling on the couch with her dog, Ducky, no one would notice that anything is different about Ashley King. Even when she walks across the living room, she doesn’t miss a step. But the 32-year-old has gotten used to functioning with only two per cent vision.