The Youth Wellness Grant (YWG) is a funding opportunity for community-based organizations in BC to develop and deliver programs that address grief, loss, and bereavement among youth and families of drug poisoning victims, and aims to restore emotional health and wellness. Non-government, not-for-profit, community-based organizations or First Nations, Métis, Inuit or urban Indigenous led organizations in BC are invited to apply for up to $80,000 in annual funding for a 3-year term.
After nearly a decade since the toxic drug crisis was declared a public health emergency in BC, youth across the province have been profoundly impacted by deaths within their families and communities. We are pleased to announce that youth can now access specialized bereavement care to help support their emotional health and wellness.
Through CAI, 12 organizations in BC have been awarded new Youth Wellness Grant funding to provide community-based bereavement care for youth and their families who are left grieving. Funding for this initiative has been provided by the Ministry of Health’s Overdose Response Branch. Grant awards are for $80,000 per year for a 3-year term.
The grants will support organizations to provide specialized community supports for youth and families who have been affected by toxic drug poisonings, including individual and group programs, land-based activities, cultural healing, expressive arts therapies, family-centred activities, and peer supports. Youth engagement is at the heart of each organization’s project, with youth in program advisory and peer leadership roles.
Applications were adjudicated through a peer review process with representatives from community-based organizations, health authorities, youth and families, and Indigenous organizations. The application process was highly competitive, with more than 60 groups across BC recognizing this urgent need to help grieving youth and applying for support. The adjudicators considered bereavement programming and service quality, budget and funding, and alignment with funding priorities, with consideration of underserved youth populations and locations where service gaps exist.
We are thrilled to announce the successful grant recipients and look forward to seeing the positive impact that these programs will have on youth and families in BC:
Northern region:
Interior region:
- Canadian Mental Health Association-Shuswap
- Kamloops Aboriginal Friendship Society
- Ktunaxa Kinbasket Child and Family Service Society
Island region:
Fraser region:
Vancouver Coastal region: