Art With Impact and Partners for Mental Health Announce Program Partnership for Youth Mental Health

Toronto, Canada, July 19, 2016 (Newswire.com) - National Canadian charities Partners for Mental Health and Art With Impact Canada announce their new partnership that will create and support creative opportunities for postsecondary students to engage in meaningful dialogue around mental health.

Partners for Mental Health is improving mental health in Canada by mobilizing and empowering Canadians to break through the social prejudice surrounding mental illness to effect real and lasting change. Art With Impact Canada creates spaces where young people learn and connect about mental health issues through discussion about and exploration of short films. Together, the two organizations will engage post-secondary students in meaningful dialogue around mental health by providing creative methods of awareness and concrete opportunities for action, supporting one another to reduce stigma around mental illness on college and university campuses. 

Mental illness remains one of the last social taboos of our time.

Jeff Moat , President, Partners for Mental Health

In Canada, the majority of mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders present symptomatically between the ages of 15-24, impacting 10-20% of Canadian youth. Each year over 700 young Canadians die by suicide, the #1 leading cause of non-accidental death among youth. For these reasons Partners for Mental Health and Art With Impact Canada share a focus on increasing understanding and promoting awareness around issues related to mental health, ensuring that young adults have access to resources and support via Art With Impact Canada’s Movies for Mental Health workshops and Partners for Mental Health’s youth campaigns.  

Movies for Mental Health harnesses short film to engage young people on the vital topic of mental health, inspiring and empowering them to tell their own stories and access resources available to them. Partners for Mental Health volunteers have participated in Movies for Mental Health events in various areas of Canada throughout the last year and a half, and will continue to participate in events moving forward.

“Mental illness remains one of the last social taboos of our time.  We are looking forward to continuing to work with Art With Impact Canada to help youth better understand and support mental health.” – Jeff Moat, President, Partners for Mental Health.

“Partners for Mental Health is doing exceptional work in the realm of creating awareness of mental health issues throughout Canada. We are honored to partner with them to move closer to our mutual goal of a stigma-free culture where everyone has access to the support they deserve.” - Cary McQueen, Executive Director, Art With Impact Canada.

Learn more about Art With Impact’s Movies for Mental Health program and mental health-themed short film competition. Learn about Partners for Mental Health’s youth initiative: Right By You.

Source: www.artwithimpact.org