Do you know a young person who has demonstrated resiliency or is familiar with the Canadian mental health landscape and enjoys drawing, painting, photography or writing short stories and poetry? If so, encourage them to consider a leadership opportunity so that they might reach other young people and improve youth mental health policy in Canada. The Mental Health Commission of Canada’s (MHCC) Youth Advisory Council is developing a youth-focused summary of the Mental Health Strategy for Canada, which outlines a vision for transforming the nation’s mental health system.
To support the development of the summary, the Youth Advisory Council is seeking artistic expressions from young Canadians that illustrate their understanding of mental health and resiliency. Art can also convey how youth experience, and are affected by, the mental health system in Canada. The main goal is to develop a supplemental document and multimedia tool that highlights the experiences and vision of young people working toward system change.
The objectives of this project are to:
- Offer an overview of the mental health policy landscape and mental health service systems in a way that resonates with young people
- Reach young people by sharing personal experiences
- Share stories of resiliency and recovery among youth
- Inspire further improvement to youth mental health policy in Canada
- Empower young people and youth mental health advocates
Submissions will be reviewed by members of the Youth Advisory Council and a select number will be included and credited in the youth-focused summary of the Mental Health Strategy.
The deadline for participating is April 30, 2014.
For more information about this project, please contact Keely Brach at kbrach@mentalhealthcommission.ca