Yukon youth to benefit from $8.24 million combined investment for service improvement and integration
BYTE–Empowering Youth awarded $6.64M from Health Canada; YukonU receives $1.6M from Canadian Institutes of Health Research
WHITEHORSE – Most mental health challenges start before the age of 25. Without support, young people and their families can face unnecessary struggles, missed opportunities, and long-term impacts on their well-being. New initiatives led by BYTE–Empowering Youth, the Territorial Youth Collective, Yukon government Mental Wellness and Substance Use Services (MWSUS) and the Yukon Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (YSPOR), with support from Yukon University, aim to make it easier for youth to access the services and supports they need through an integrated hub approach.
Earlier this month, BYTE–Empowering Youth and the Territorial Youth Collective were awarded $6.64 million from Health Canada to develop a hub for integrated youth services (IYS), supported by MWSUS and YSPOR.
The Yukon IYS Pilot Project will strengthen and expand IYS for equity-owed youth across the Yukon by building capacity for a range of services for youth and young adults ages 12 to 30. Over the 3-year funding agreement BYTE will establish both a centralized hub in Whitehorse and mobile services to meet the unique needs of Yukon’s urban and rural communities.
“Rooted in partnership, this project is about meeting youth where they are at, by uplifting youth voices and resourcing the community organizations already doing this vital work and ensuring they remain at the center of service delivery and decision-making. Through strengthened collaboration, dedicated service navigators, and a blend of peer-led support, mobile outreach, and a centralized hub in Whitehorse, we are building a more connected, equitable system of care. Grounded in northern realities and informed by shared data, this approach increases access to mental health supports while strengthening the capacity of communities across the Yukon to support their youth.”
– Casey Albert, Executive Director, BYTE–Empowering Youth
This recent funding builds on $1.6M awarded Dr. Michelle Leach, a Scientific Director at YukonU, from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, to explore what an Integrated Youth Services (IYS) model could look like in the Yukon, recognizing the unique needs of Indigenous and rural communities.
The research component was developed collaboratively with youth, families, caregivers, and a network of Yukon youth-serving organizations, including the BGC Yukon, BYTE–Empowering Youth, Council of Yukon First Nations, the Independent Learning Centre Kwanlin Dün First Nation, Lynx Health, Safe at Home Society, the Territorial Youth Collective, the Yukon Child and Youth Advocate Office, Yukon First Nation Education Directorate, and Yukon government departments of Health and Social Services and Education, reflecting a shared commitment to ensuring the hub is informed by the voices and priorities of Yukon youth and communities.
“Grounded by youth and youth-serving organizations, this work will help redefine what ‘success’ in youth mental health means in the Yukon, building culturally safe and inclusive approaches to care. The project is creating an evidence-based framework and practical recommendations for how an IYS could be designed in the Yukon, while also building youth leadership and community capacity for long-term impact.”
– Dr. Michelle Leach, Scientific Director at Yukon University
Locating a physical space for the IYS hub and filling key roles are some of the first steps for the project team. Youth, families, and community members who are interested in helping guide this work are welcome to connect with the project team to learn more about upcoming advisory and working group opportunities.