As mental health resources grow in demand on PEI, community groups and nonprofits are sharing ways to address some of the root causes and be better prepared for events that exacerbate existing problems.
About 20 representatives from these groups gathered Tuesday at Beaconsfield’s Carriage House for a discussion led by the Atlantic Summer Institute on Healthy and Safe Communities. The meeting was the sixth of seven meetings held across Atlantic Canada.
Patsy Beattie-Huggan, a coordinator for the Atlantic Summer Institute, said mental health, particularly among youth, has come to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many have been isolating from their friends and schoolmates. She said it had become apparent that more intervention and more support was needed.
Now is the time to look ahead and make a plan, she said.
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“How can we prepare our services and our approach so that the next challenge we have, the next crisis, the next Fiona or the next pandemic, we’re better equipped to deal with it?”
The groups were shown a video explaining the concept of ‘Upstream Initiatives’ as a means of tackling mental health problems.
“We talk about the kids in the river, and people keep catching all these kids falling in the river,” Beattie-Huggan said.
“Eventually someone asks, ‘Why are all the children falling in the river? Maybe we should better see why they are falling in the river.’ And they’re going upstream to see what it is.”
The point, she said, is to get people to change the way they think and to realize that society is dedicating a lot of resources to crisis management — “which undoubtedly needs to happen, but we also need to build those strengths and assets among ourselves and.” our children so we don’t throw them into the river and need so much crisis management in the future.”
Isolation a “huge barrier”
BGC’s Ted Lockie, officially known as the Boys and Girls Club, was one of the speakers at Tuesday’s session. He said isolation is a “major obstacle” to long-term mental well-being and BGC works hard to make young people feel welcome, valued and part of a community.
“We are in a time of real need on the island and as such any conversation about how we can impact this in a healthy and robust way is a conversation that we as an organization are happy to be a part of. And I think every Islander has an interest in Islanders being more successful over the long term, and that takes investment and effort from all of us.”
Hosted by the Atlantic Summer Institute, the meetings are a great way for groups in the same sector to work together and pool resources while working towards similar goals, he said.
Food insecurity and lack of affordable housing, which also affect mental health, were other issues raised.
Lennox Island band member Julie Pellissier-Lush spoke about the importance of including Indigenous voices in program development.
“I think we’re diligently working towards making sure our leadership is involved and more, you know, invited to the tables that make power so that our voices are still heard.”
