With You in Mind
Year 3
Your Digital Safe Space
Funded by the Secrétariat à la jeunesse and Fondation Lucie et André Chagnon through the Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN), With You in Mind (WYIM) is a youth-led mental health initiative entering its third year of programming.
This year, With You in Mind (WYIM) has launched an online wellness hub on Discord that connects English-speaking youth across Québec with a variety of low-barrier opportunities to engage with their mental health. This includes a 1-on-1 referral service that will connect youth with the appropriate resources and hosting community building activities and events.
There is an overwhelming lack of adequate English mental health services and support for English-speaking youth in Québec. Instead of turning to public health and social services in their region, survey results from CHSSN’s Youth Pulse Check (2022) report that youth rely heavily on informal support networks (i. e. friends, family & romantic partners). This issue is further exacerbated amongst English-speaking youth in regions where there is difficulty accessing professional English supports and services. Discord is a social voice, video and text chat app made for online gatherings with friends and community. This is done by joining and creating servers that focus on a broad or niche area of focus ranging from project management, friend/family groups, study clubs to mental health support. WYIM hopes to utilise the peer-based nature of Discord by developing an online space that consolidates informal networks of support with professional help.
We believe that supporting mental health and well-being is essential.
We have compiled a list of free mental health resources. If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs emotional support, these resources can help.
The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the CHSSN and the funders.
Wellness Liaisons x With You in Mind 2024
Our Wellness Liaisons have returned in 2024 to host 3 more events hosted on the With You in Mind (WYIM) Discord Server available for youth across the province! We have re-engaged with 3 Liaisons, Bon Pham, Blessing Tchemtchoua-Dassi and Abbigail Whitcher representing 3 distinct regions and school communities to design, develop, promote and deliver online mental health activities offered on Discord.
We will be offering the following online activities available through the With you in Mind Discord server:
“Voices of Impact: Community Services and Youth Mental Health”
“Revitalise Your Routine: Holistic Health Tips from an Experienced Personal Trainer.”
“Unpacking Myths & Facts about Vaping: Hosted by Camp Lift.”
How do I attend these activities?
To access these activities, you must have a Discord account and be a part of the With You in Mind Discord server. You can join the server here!
Workshop: How to set up a Discord server to better engage the youth community
In addition to the activities, the WYIM project coordinator and moderators will be developing and facilitating a workshop for community organisations and youth mental health partners on setting up a Discord server and engagement strategies on the platform. The workshop will take place sometime in the end of March.
Meet the Team
Project Coordinator
Adela Kwok
(She/Her)
Born in Ontario, Adela is a filmmaker who moved to Québec to receive her B.A. in International Development from McGill. After spending a year post-grad working within the creative spaces and communities back in Toronto, she became attracted to the community building that comes with presenting a piece of art or sharing a part of yourself. The act of gathering and curating such occurrences became an integral factor to how she conceives of a project, with emphasis on intention and participant experience. With that, Adela has generated a unique and well-versed repertoire of project coordination, traversing frequently between creative and professional spaces. She hopes to use this experience at Y4Y to assist in the creation of safe spaces of opportunity and meaningful exchange for her fellow youth in Québec.
Youth Moderators
Megan Yang
(They/Them)
Hi! My name is Megan, I'm 22 and almost done with university. I've been working/volunteering in community mental health and wellness for about two years now, so I'm excited to be one of your Youth Moderators. I hope that you'll be able to come to me with all your questions and concerns but also to talk about cool stuff like video games.
Emily Boutilier
(She/Her)
Hey, my name is Emily, I am currently in my last year of my Social Work degree! I have a passion for accessible and equitable mental health services and love to help people discover all the resources that are out there. I currently work with youth mental health and love every minute of it. I hope to provide all of you with a safe place to be curious and ask questions. No question is a bad question! Looking forward to meeting you all!
Youth Advisory Committee
Adam Beaulac
(He/They)
I'm an anglophone from Alberta living in Québec that's here to help teach English at an elementary school. I have enjoyed integrating into the amazing social landscape of Québec, and hope to profit from everything the province has to offer!
Alessia Castonguay
(She/Her)
My name is Alessia, I was born and raised in Montréal speaking Italian, English, and French and I have a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Concordia University. I understand that each person has a unique story, so I am dedicated to approaching every individual with compassion and empathy. I hope to use my experience at Y4Y to provide support to those who need it, allowing them to feel unapologetically themselves.
Samidha Singhal
(She/Her)
My name is Samidha and I was born in India, and grew up in Hamilton, Ontario. I studied philosophy with a minor in business at McMaster University. After graduating, I studied Arabic in Cairo, Egypt for one year through the McCall MacBain International Fellowship. Currently, I am teaching English while studying French in Québec City. I like reading classic novels, I enjoy doing aerial hoop, and spending time in nature.
Wellness Liaisons
Abbigail Whitcher
(She/Her)
Montréal
I am Abby. I am new to the city of Montréal but have lived in the Eastern Townships for most of my life. I also spent just over a year in Gatineau, where I completed a bachelor's degree at the University of Ottawa. My stay there was short because I had to finish my studies online during COVID. Currently, I am a first-year law student at McGill University. I've always had a passion for health and physical activity, which recently led me to obtain my personal trainer certification. After all, who doesn't like to feel good, right? I'm excited to share what I love with other students, so please feel free to reach out!
Bon
(She/Her)
Québec City
Besides being a full-time college student, Bon is a passionate volunteer, mental health first aider, avid reader, as well as a delicate lover who has an enchanting, rather “pathological” love for Taylor Swift. Over the years, Bon has been working with various organisations, and for initiatives dedicated to acts of kindness and community service. She previously had experience being a delegate at the 2024 McGill Model United Nations where she was profoundly inspired by the importance of transformational leadership to be the voice for the voiceless. As a Wellness Liaison for Y4Y Québec, Bon has had the privilege of witnessing the life-changing power of altruism and the sense of fulfilment that comes from helping others. During her time at Y4Y Québec, she urges to use her unique talent as a force for good to invest in others to make a difference in the community.
Blessing
Québec City
I'm Tchemtchoua Dassi Blessing, I'm a Christian and I come from the western region of Cameroon and I speak my native language Ghomala. Along with that, I'm learning how to speak Yoruba, Lingala and Zulu. I am in the process of completing my DEC in health science at Champlain st Lawrence. I have always been passionate about contributing to community service and helping others as much as I can.