Barrie, ON – Local students Bella Greensides and Naima Pinto from Eastview Secondary School (Eastview) raised $500 in support of child and youth mental health services at New Path Youth and Family Services (New Path), a child and youth mental health agency providing free and accredited mental health services across Simcoe County.
“Mental health in our society today is often stigmatized and neglected, leading to lack of support for those who need it most. This is especially true for youth and families who may not have access to affordable mental health care or are blocked by social or cultural barriers to seeking help,” said Pinto. “I am advocating for youth mental health because it is essential to improving the lives of young individuals, and in turn our communities.”
Fellow student, Greensides, added that she became aware of New Path’s free child and youth mental health services through one of her classes. “I have close friends and people I know who contacted New Path for assistance and all the feedback has been really positive,” said Greensides. “In today’s society, mental health is one of the largest concerns regarding overall human well-being, particularly among teens. This is why I am choosing to advocate for youth and families in need of free mental health support.”
The initiative was part of a Grade 12 Social Science course called Challenge and Change in Society, which aims to analyze relevant topics and issues that exist in society, both locally and globally.
“The topics we cover vary depending on the interests of the students and what is most pressing in the world. That being said, mental health is a huge topical issue for adolescents right now and we talk about it a lot in the course,” said Samantha Luscombe, English and Social Science Teacher at Eastview. “The project Bella and Naima were working on is their large summative task, where they need to create an initiative and plan to create positive change in the community. It is totally up to them what issue they wish to advocate for, and it can be on a big or small scale. They develop and plan their project and then have 10 weeks to actually execute that plan. They reflect on the process at multiple times throughout the project and share their successes at the end in a portfolio.”
The donation supports New Path, which offers a range of free child and youth mental health services for children, youth and their families. Counselling services are available in person, by phone and online. To book an appointment, visit www.newpath.ca.
“We are so grateful to these incredible young people who chose to focus on the importance of mental health in their community through a donation to New Path, but also as a way to share with their peers how to access support in their community,” said Jim Harris, CEO of New Path Youth and Family Services. “Our goal at New Path is to ensure that every family and youth in Simcoe County knows where to go to access free mental health supports when and where they are needed.”
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About New Path Youth and Family Services of Simcoe County
New Path Youth and Family Services of Simcoe County (New Path) is an accredited children’s mental health agency providing a range of compassionate, innovative and accessible services for children, youth and their families throughout Simcoe County. We are a registered not-for-profit charitable organization with office locations across Simcoe County, including Alliston, Barrie, Bradford, Cookstown, Collingwood, and Orillia. New Path is also the Lead Agency for children’s mental health in Simcoe County, with the goal of enhancing the experience and outcomes of children, youth and their families seeking assistance with mental health and wellness.
New Path offers mental health services for children, youth and their families in-person, by-phone, or online. A range of free mental health services are offered by professional counsellors. Families can book an appointment through the Quick Access Child and Youth Mental Health Clinic: www.newpath.ca/book-now/ or for those without internet access, by calling New Path at 705-725-7656.
To learn more about New Path, to donate, or get involved, please visit www.newpath.ca, follow us on social media Facebook: New Path Youth & Family Services Twitter: @NewPathYFS Instagram: @NewPathYFS or sign up for our TrailSigns Newsletter
Media Contact
Dominika Zapolnik, Communications Manager
New Path Youth and Family Services
Phone: 705-627-3067
Email: dzapolnik@newpath.ca