Sajila Nudrat | Health Editor
Featured Image: More than 250 young leaders came together to revolutionize mental health. | Courtesy of jack.org
On March 1, more than 250 young leaders representing the provinces and territories of Canada came together in Toronto for the seventh annual National Jack Summit. The largest gathering in Canada of young leaders was dedicated to building youth leadership for mental health across the country.
Completed through a variety of inspirational speakers, skill-building workshops, youth collaboration sessions, and mental health leadership training, the three-day summit aimed to ensure youth input is at the center of every conversation; creating a strong, unified youth-driven voice for mental health advocacy.
“Jack.org is a national charity based in Toronto. Overall, we focus on training and empowering young leaders aged 15-24 to revolutionize mental health for their generation. We recognize, and know from the evidence, that when it comes to youth mental health, young people are the experts of their own, lived experience and views on how the system is (or is not) supporting them,” Eric Windeler, the founder and executive director of Jack.org says.
“So, we put young people at the forefront of change, amplifying their voices, and giving them the tools they need to transform mental health in every province and territory across Canada,” Windeler adds.
When asked about the importance of the conversation surrounding youth mental health, Windeler responded: “The conversation surrounding mental health has never been more critical. Suicide is the leading health-related cause of death for young people across Canada. If that’s not enough, at least one in five young people will struggle with their mental health in any one year.
“It is the health issue of this generation of youth. The sector supporting the mental health of our youth is also underfunded and struggling to meet the current need. It’s time mental health gains parity with physical health in all respects,” he says.
Megan Wong, a York student, discussed her first-hand experience with the organization. “As someone who has struggled with their mental health since high school, having a Jack.org chapter in my school was the resource I needed to kick-start my journey to mental health advocacy. I struggled with bullying and depression, and wanted to be able to revolutionize the way people thought about mental health; to change the negative perceptions of mental illness within my school community.
“Although I am fairly introverted, I was able to use my voice as a lead executive for my high school’s Jack Chapter, to inform my peers about the importance of mental health through events within my school. With this year being my first time as a Jack Talks speaker, I want to further share my story, which will hopefully aid in ending the stigma surrounding mental illness—specifically, the way they are discussed about and portrayed.”
When talking about her experience taking part in the summit, Wong said: “In order to break barriers within the mental health movement, I have learned to take on leadership roles in starting the conversation on mental health topics. Participating in the National Jack Summit for the first time this year has allowed me to connect with other mental health advocates, all of whom bring different perspectives and voices to the table.”
She continues: “Through attending the National Jack Summit, I have become particularly motivated to make systems change and work to help students overcome potential barriers that they may face within their school and communities.”
Wong reassures that: “Being a part of the conversation means that no voice is left unheard, unnoticed, or under appreciated. In order to be an effective leader of change, all voices must be present at the table. Regardless of it being your first time joining the conversation or the hundredth, the first step in changing the conversation is by participating in it.”
