BAC Youth Mental Health Co-design
Project Goals
Understand young people's lived Experiences to better support them
To create a safe space where Black youth can openly share their experiences with mental health, belonging, access to services, and the pressures they face in school, home, and community environments.
Ensure that we Identify Barriers to Mental Health Support for youth and address them
To surface the systemic, cultural, logistical, and economic barriers that prevent Black youth from accessing mental-health services, including stigma, affordability, transportation, lack of representation, and distrust of institutions.
Work with young people to create an environment that is comfortable and fully designed/by them
To work directly with youth to design practical, culturally grounded, and community-driven solutions that reflect their priorities, not pre-determined program ideas.
Promote youth voices at all levels to strengthen their voices & participation
To build youth confidence, leadership, and decision-making power by ensuring their voices shape program design, school supports, community services, and future OII wellness initiatives.
Work with youth to Build Community-Centred Recommendations
To produce actionable recommendations for schools, mental-health providers, families, and community partners that reflect youth-identified needs and solutions.
Ensure young people sustain structures through modeled engagement
To establish a long-term framework that continues beyond the workshops — ensuring Black youth can guide future programming, policy advocacy, and service improvements in Etobicoke, Mississauga, and Brampton.
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