Youth Wellness Champions

A peer-to-peer youth program to promote mental health and well-being.

The Youth Wellness Champions Program is open to youth from childhood to early adulthood. The program was developed by the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario and adapted by Peel Public Health for use in the community. Public Health Nurses work with community agencies and organizations to train adult leaders and Youth Champions, who then implement mental well-being activities, events, and initiatives for their peers.

The program has more than:

14 provincial partners: public health units, and health organizations.
20 funding grants.
3,600 youth champions.
2,400 implementation activities
10,000 hours invested.

Why there’s a need

In recent years, there’s been a decline in positive mental health and an increase in mental illness diagnoses among Canadian youth. Many youth are not accessing the help they need.

In Peel, the amount of youth between Grades 7 to 12 who rated their mental health as excellent, very good, or good, declined significantly from 2013 to 2023. Also, the proportion of students who reported moderate to high levels of psychological distress in the past month has increased since 2013.

Although the Youth Wellness Champion Program is not a form of mental health treatment, talking about mental health and focusing on factors that improve mental health helps reduce stigma, build resilience, and provides youth with opportunities to connect with others who share similar experiences and challenges.

How the program works

We will ask you some questions about your organization to ensure the program is the right fit and can be supported. Staff will then walk you through the process and plan logistics.

An adult leader from your organization is first trained in mental health and youth engagement principles. Youth Champions are then selected, trained, and supported to deliver peer-to-peer initiatives in their community.

Ideally, one event or activity should be planned each month for up to one year. We can work with you to determine the appropriate time frame to suit your needs.

We support you along the way!

If you’re interested in the Youth Wellness Champions Program, call Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700, toll-free 1-888-919-7800.