Advancing equity for all youth in Canada
Radically innovate with world-leading technology to create services and programs where equity-deserving groups can feel seen, heard and safe.
![An African American male youth standing on the promenade leaning on a skateboard [LEFT] | A female in a group of friends smiling into a selfie camera [RIGHT]](/wp-content/uploads/advancing-equity.png)
Building an innovative, inclusive and equitable future
A major gap in Canada’s mental health care system often prevents equity-deserving groups from receiving safe, compassionate and culturally responsive care. This reality compounds and deepens the injustices they face.
Kids Help Phone is building an innovative, inclusive and equitable future so no young person in Canada is left behind. We’re co-creating transformative strategies steered by the communities we serve. We’re deepening our collective commitment to anti-racism, and continuing a shared journey of reconciliation. We’re just getting started, and we will not back down.
With your contribution, we’ll more deeply engage and support thousands of equity-deserving groups in communities across Canada.
I felt heard for the first time in the 17 brutal years I’ve been alive and it truly felt amazing.
— Black youth contacting Kids Help Phone
Programs Included
Finding Hope: Indigenous Youth Action Plan
As a non-Indigenous organization, it’s critical that we learn and embrace leadership from Indigenous people who are experts in their own lives.
RiseUp powered by Kids Help Phone
Young people who contact us through our texting service and talk about racism are the most distressed of all of our service users, second only to those who fear harm in their home.
Breaking down barriers for newcomers
To help promote wellness among newcomer youth in Canada, Kids Help Phone is offering support in a growing number of languages.
Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility (IDEA)
Over 40% of young people contacting Kids Help Phone identify as 2SLGBTQ+. At the same time, youth in rural and remote areas are less likely to be aware of our services — and more likely to be in need of mental health support.
Program
Finding Hope: Indigenous Youth Action Plan
Kids Help Phone realizes the tremendous diversity among Indigenous Peoples, the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization and the intergenerational trauma colonization continues to cause. As a non-Indigenous organization, it’s critical that we learn and embrace leadership from Indigenous people who are experts in their own lives.
Recognizing the urgent need for culturally responsive and targeted mental health supports, we launched Finding Hope: Kids Help Phone’s Action Plan for Supporting First Nations, Inuit and Métis Young People in 2018. The plan was developed under the leadership of an Indigenous Advisory Council and with Indigenous youth and community leaders.
Our donors have come forward in support of bold action to break down barriers to mental health support for Indigenous youth across Canada. We’ve enhanced service delivery, built partnerships and launched new community-based programs.
We’re committed to ensuring that as our services evolve, we adapt to remain relevant, equitable and accessible to every young person in Canada.
With your support, we can build and expand more access to services for Indigenous youth from coast to coast to coast.
FUNDING ENABLES:
- development and distribution of free, Indigenous-specific outreach packages as well as engagement with media, influencers and other promotional channels
- special projects to support the revitalization of Indigenous languages, increased access to mental health services, reduced stigma among male Indigenous youth and more
- ongoing program design and delivery led by Indigenous staff and volunteers
- building staff capacity to deliver key programs and initiatives of Finding Hope