OTF Grant Helps Wellkin Provide Youth with Services Under One Roof
WOODSTOCK, ON — In 2021, Wellkin-Child & Youth Mental Wellness received a $150,000 Resilient Communities Fund grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. This grant supported staffing costs toward the development of the Oxford Youth Wellness Hub, being led by Wellkin with significant collaboration and support by local community partners. The Hub will be a dedicated place and space where youth can feel safe, connected and welcomed. The projected start date for the Hub is June 2022, and it will give youth in the community improved access to programs and services at the Hub.
“Supports such as this Youth Wellness Hub are valuable resources for the young people in Oxford,” said Ernie Hardeman, MPP for Oxford. “They’re dealing with a lot as they mature, so it’s important we make it simple for them to find supports and contact with others.”
The Youth Hub will be a transformative, system level initiative that will provide Oxford County youth with a more responsive service system for those experiencing negative impacts of social isolation, and will be a youth space that focuses on generating a sense of belonging. Thanks to the $150,000 grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, youth will be able to access clinical, non-clinical and wellness programming, which will include drop-in programming under one roof with multiple service providers.
“As Executive Director at Wellkin Child & Youth Mental Wellness, I want to convey my thanks to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their generous grant,” said Executive Director of Wellkin, Kelly Baker. “Children and youth need our help now more than ever, and this grant truly makes a difference in the lives of Oxford children and youth. Mental health can’t wait, and these funds are extremely helpful to Wellkin to continue to provide best-in-class services. The last two years have been extremely challenging on the mental health of our kids and youth, and their families. Letting them know that we are here for them, and that the funds are helping to establish and launch a Youth Wellness Hub sends an invaluable message to the Oxford community, setting us and our partners up to provide multi-service help to our youth. It’s been a difficult two years for children and youth; to be chosen and supported by OTF speaks volumes to the joint commitment. We look forward to the continued growth of the Youth Wellness Hub, with incredible collaboration and assistance from our many community partners.”
The Oxford Youth Wellness Hub is committed to creating clear service pathways and a trusted way to connect with the wrap-around integrated supports to meet youth’s needs. Having these supports in one location, with shared consents and coordinated services, will create a greater ease in navigating support systems for youth, allow for quicker and more effective response by service providers through collaboration, assist in early identification of need through drop-in programming and limit the number of times a youth needs to re-tell their story to get their various service needs met. If you wish to enquire about Hub or would like to be part of the Hub planning, please reach out at: info@wellkin.ca
The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations. Last year, nearly $112M was invested into 1,384 community projects and partnerships to build healthy and vibrant communities and strengthen the impact of Ontario’s non-profit sector. In 2020/21, OTF supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. Visit otf.ca to learn more.
Click here to download the Wellkin media release PDF
Organization Contact for Media Inquiries:
Kelly Baker, Executive Director
Wellkin Child & Youth Mental Wellness
519-539-0463
kbaker@wellkin.ca