VICTORIA -- The B.C. government is opening eight new youth centres across the province, including two on Vancouver Island.
The youth centres will be operated by Foundry, an organization that offers support, services, health and mental health resources to British Columbians aged 12 to 24.
The eight new Foundry centres will open in the Comox Valley, Port Hardy, Surrey, Langley, Squamish, Cranbrook, Burns Lake and Williams Lake.
Each centre is described as a ‘one stop shop’ for youth support and offers access to mental health care, substance use services, primary care, peer support and social services.
“A new Foundry within a community is a sign that lets young people know there’s a place just for them where they can get the support they need, right where they live,” said Katrine Conroy, Minister of Children and Family Development in a release Monday.
“Child and youth mental health workers at Foundry centres play a key role, matching young people with early interventions to help them take on challenges and get back on the road to wellness.”
The eight new centres bring the total number of Foundry facilities across the province to 19, including ones already open in Victoria and Campbell River.
The organization also offers free, live virtual support for any British Columbian youth or their caregiver.
More information can be found on the Foundry website here.
