Kids Help Phone has launched an ongoing movement, with the goal of addressing the mental health crisis in Canada, while they plan to expand their crisis services.
The movement started on Thursday, with a fundraising goal of $300 million to reach young people all across the country.
Executive Vice President of E-mental Health Strategy and the Chief Youth Officer at Kids Help Phone, Alisa Simon says the goal is to support the mental health of young people.
“How do we get every single young person in Canada to know that support is available, and everyone to be talking about mental health, and what they can do to support young people?” says Simon.
“The funding comes across as well, and we have incredible partners, but we are talking about: how do you get involved? How do you get engaged? And why mental health is important.”
Kids Help Phone is working with Bell Canada and Bank of Montreal, who have each put in an investment of $15 million to the movement.
According to Simon, the work that was put into this movement has been tremendous.
“We were lucky in that we had an unbelievable campaign cabinet that all came together, because they believe in what it is we’re doing,” adds Simon.
“And then we had this idea, what if we had an anthem? What ended up happening is that artists all across Canada raised their hand to say that they believe in this cause and wanted to be a part of it.”
The anthem, called What I Wouldn’t Do (North Star Calling), involved over 50 artists, including Serena Ryder, Sarah McLachlan, Alessia Cara, and Johnny Orlando as a riff on Ryder’s hit What I Wouldn’t Do.
Simon says they’re aware that the need for mental health support is huge, and that they see mental health services and the mental health of youth are not equal, with differences based on race, where they live, and how they identify.
For more information on the movement, visit the Kids Help Phone website.
