New youth hub coming to Portage to tackle mental health

Article content

Young people in Portage la Prairie who are dealing with mental health issues, addictions, or the risk of homelessness will soon have a much easier time getting the help they need.

Article content

The Manitoba government has announced $400,000 in funding to bring a new youth support hub to the city. The idea is to make it simpler for youth to access care, by bringing services together in one place.

Article content

Recommended Videos

Article content

“It is important for our youth to have a place to go and have access to the supports that they need when they need it,” said Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith. “We are not using a one-size-fits-all approach to care. We are working with young people to meet them where they are at and support them through their mental health or addictions journey.”

The new site will bring two major programs — Huddle and Youth Connect — under one roof. Both are already helping youth in other communities, and this expansion means local young people won’t have to travel or navigate multiple agencies to get the support they need.

Article content

Article content

Huddle is geared toward youth aged 12 to 29 and offers mental health services, addiction treatment, primary care, peer support, and social services — all in one welcoming, youth-friendly space. It’s designed to meet youth where they’re at and give them tools and support that actually work in real life.

Youth Connect focuses more on helping young adults who are aging out of the child welfare system — people who often fall through the cracks. The goal is to keep them from becoming homeless by offering help with housing, life planning, culturally safe supports, and someone to help them navigate the system.

“Youth transitioning out of care face additional challenges as they learn to navigate the systems meant to support them, which leaves them at risk of falling through the cracks,” said Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine. “Youth Connect can help give them the supports needed to land on their feet and build a good future for themselves in their communities.”

Article content

The Portage la Prairie Community Revitalization Corporation (PCRC), which already runs the local Youth Connect program, will also host the new Huddle site.

“The Portage la Prairie Community Revitalization Corporation is honoured to be receiving funding to increase vital supports for young people in our community,” said Executive Director Mari Kozar. “Services for youth have been a long-time need in Portage la Prairie, and we look forward to bridging further gaps in co-ordination with our Youth Connect program and community partners.”

Kozar said the project is being supported by a number of local organizations, including the Portage Family Resource Centre, Portage la Prairie RCMP, the City of Portage la Prairie, and Southern Health–Santé Sud.

Article content

The numbers paint a pretty clear picture. More than 40% of homeless youth in Canada report mental health challenges, and over 30% deal with addictions, according to Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Many have also aged out of care and are left trying to find their way with limited support.

This new site is meant to change that — giving youth a space to turn to when things get tough.

Currently, Manitoba funds six Huddle locations across Winnipeg, Selkirk, and Brandon, with a total of $2.4 million in annual provincial support. There are also five Youth Connect sites in communities including Swan Valley, Selkirk, The Pas, Winnipeg, and Portage, supported with over $1 million annually.

There are already two co-located sites — places where Huddle and Youth Connect operate together — one in Selkirk and another in Winnipeg. A third site like that is coming to northern Manitoba.

Article content

Bringing these two services together in Portage is a move that officials hope will make a big difference.

“Bringing Youth Connect and Huddle services together under one roof means young people can access mental health support, medical care, housing assistance and peer services without having to jump from one agency to another,” said Fontaine.

Huddle is delivered in partnership with organizations like United Way Winnipeg, which acts as its administrative host. United Way Winnipeg recently received $10 million from the federal Youth Mental Health Fund to grow and strengthen youth services in the province.

This new Portage site is part of a bigger strategy from the provincial government to better support young people, especially those facing tough times.

For more info on what Huddle offers, visit www.HuddleManitoba.ca.

— Lori Penner is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

Have thoughts on what’s going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at [email protected].

Article content