YouThrive is a practical resource that was developed in a partnership involving Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario (CMHA Ontario), Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Ontario Lung Association (OLA) and Ophea. It is for leaders in communities and schools across Ontario who work with youth aged 12 to 19. It is designed for people who want to create communities in which young people can thrive and develop capacity to realize their own abilities, make a contribution to society and learn how to take control of their own lives. It shows how using a health promotion approach supports positive mental health and prevents risk-taking behaviour among young people.
YouThrive will help you reach the following goals:
- Strengthen protective factors and resilience among youth.
- Build young people’s health literacy by promoting positive mental health and well-being and reducing tobacco use and substance misuse.
- Address the health inequities that exist among groups of youth in Ontario.
- Foster youth engagement.
- Work on Ontario’s priorities for youth health.
YouThrive will help leaders in communities and schools respond to the Government of Ontario’s priorities:
- Mental health, tobacco use, and substance misuse are priority areas in the Healthy Community Fund.
- Youth mental health is a priority in the Open Minds, Healthy Minds: Ontario’s Comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions Strategy,
- Both substance misuse and tobacco use among youth are addressed in the Chronic Diseases and Injury Prevention standard in the Ontario Public Health Standards.
- Mental health, tobacco use, and substance misuse are part of achieving the Foundations for a Healthy School and the Health and Physical Education Curriculum for elementary and secondary students.
