The B.C. Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions has announced funding for a new mental health youth ambassador program focusing on South Asian youth on the Lower Mainland.
The South Asian Mental Health Alliance will receive $112,000 to train 100 youth ambassadors who can promote mental wellness in culturally specific ways.
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Founder Kulpreet Singh says he noticed stigma around mental health when he himself was first diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, or ADD.
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“I saw that there were certain things that I would like to see changed in the system but also that there were a lot of stigmas in my not only family but in the community,” Singh said.
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The alliance’s youth ambassadors will receive mental health first aid certification and learn how to use the arts to continue mental health dialogues.
A release from the ministry says South Asians tend to use mental health services less than other populations in British Columbia.
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