Alberta is directing $2 million this year toward 14 community-driven initiatives aimed at lowering youth suicide rates across the province.
The funding supports partnerships with local organizations that design tailored programs reflecting the specific needs of the young people they serve.
“It’s a tough time for kids with the pressures they face from the phone to not knowing what the future is like when there is so much instability in the universe,” said Tim Adams, executive director of Free Play for Kids.
Alberta’s overall suicide rate stands at roughly 14 per 100,000 people, exceeding the national average.
Among Indigenous youth in the province, the rate is five to six times higher than for non-Indigenous peers.
The province has awarded grants to the following organizations:
- Chiniki First Nation
- CL Whole of You Foundation Inc
- Dragonfly Counselling & Support Centre
- Fort McKay Métis Nation Association
- Free Play for Kids
- Red Deer Native Friendship Society
- Sucker Creek First Nation
- The Governors of the University of Calgary
- The Young Men’s Christian Association of Edmonton
- Trellis Society for Community Impact
- United Way of the Alberta Capital Region
- Wood’s Homes
- Alberta Immigrant Information & Research Centre
- Bridges Association for Newcomers and Mental Health
If you or someone you know is struggling, please call or text 211 or visit ab.211.ca to connect with mental health and addiction services in Alberta. It is free, confidential and available 24-7.
Always call 911 in an emergency.
Comments