Guest Blog by: Breanna Daigle, CYC / Ministry Staff at RE:SOUL Youth Centre
Let me ask you a question: Do you know someone who has a mental health challenge or illness? My guess is that you can easily list a couple or even a handful of people in a matter of seconds. However, if I had asked you this question 20 years ago, the answer probably would have been a little different. My guess is that it would have taken a little more thought and perhaps there would be fewer people who you could identify.
No one can deny the fact that over the last 10 years mental health challenges have become more and more prevalent. So, what’s changed?
I am not going to pretend that I have the answer to such a huge question, but I would like to suggest the contributing factors are quite widespread. Could it be the increased access to technology? Could it be the 24-hour access to social media and breaking news? Could it be a change in societal pressures? Could it be related to environmental issues or the things we put in our bodies? While any one of these could be contributing factors, I believe we must do our best to identify what has changed so that we can provide a better future for our youth.
I’ve been reflecting these last couple months with all that has been going on and I am deeply concerned for our youth, both today and moving forward. With mental health challenges already on the rise, the current disruption of the world and the false narrative of being “isolated”, an additional crisis has been created for many.
Our teens are longing for personal connection and community, just like the rest of us. Many of our youth have experienced loss including their connection with friends, the routine in their lives, significant events that affirm their hard work and accomplishments (I am feeling very badly for those who have had to miss out on graduations and proms) and the many activities that give meaning to their lives. Many of our youth have lost their places of safety. Whether it be home, school, even where they hang out … the skate park, basketball court, and of course, the local youth centre often means more then you know.
As a Child and Youth Worker and as one on the front lines of working with youth, I have had many conversations with teens from all walks of life. What I have heard over and over again is there is a deep desire to be in connection with others, whether that be with their friends or caring adults in their lives. They have a deep desire to belong and be a part of our community. They want to feel valued and know their purpose in this world. They want to be loved.
While there may be many contributing factors to the rise in mental health amongst our youth, the lack of community, connection, and purpose may be the most significant of them all.
It is in the discovery of these things that their identity can truly form.
CLICK BELOW TO PARTICIPATE:
As we explore these things over the coming weeks, I would like to invite your participation in two ways:
- I invite you to dialogue with us and join the conversation. We all learn more in community, so press in, ask questions, challenge assumptions, and let’s take this journey together.
- I invite you to invest in our youth by participating in our Spring Fundraiser. We are on the front lines of serving youth in our community and we are the only dedicated youth drop-in centre in Milton. We are 100% donor funded and all of our funding comes from people like you, who care about community, who care about young people, and who care about the future.
Finally, for those who don’t know us well, RE:SOUL Youth Centre is a faith-based organization and we are a program of Southwestern Ontario Youth for Christ. For some, knowing we are a faith-based organization creates both trust and affinity. However, we also know that for others being faith-based creates both suspicion and aversion. I recognize and understand both responses. However, as we say to the teens all the time at the youth centre, “You don’t have to agree with us to be with us!” So I would simply once again invite you to take the journey with us. We all have much to learn from one another!
Sincerely, and with gratitude,
Breanna Daigle
CYC / Ministry Staff
RE:SOUL Youth Centre / YFC Milton