YMHM Canada

The Youth Mental Health March Canada (YMHM Canada) was a community association that Joshua started and launched in 2020 that worked raise public awareness around mental health disorders and challenges in accessing services and help for youth while working to push our governments to do more for the mental health of youth.

While the association officially closed it doors on 3 July 2024, 4 years after it launched, this page has been created to showcase some of the work, mission and vision, and more that the YMHM Canada had.

Mission and Goals

Youth Mental Health March Canada is achieving more with our initiatives than ever before. We work on many exciting projects to help improve the lives of others, and are very proud of the progress we continue to make. Learn more about the goals that drive us and what we hope to accomplish.

To raise awareness and break the stigma around poor mental health and mental illnesses in youth

The YMHM Canada is committed to breaking down the stigma around poor mental health and mental health disorders in youth and will continue to work tirelessly to make sure that barriers are broken down every single day.

To advocate for better mental health resources and access to these resources for all

Through our events and raising our voices, we aim to push government bodies to do more in their support for mental health resources for youth, and to help provide better access to these resources not only for the people that can afford it and/or that can get to it easily, but for everyone.

To raise funds for youth mental health services and mental health awareness

The YMHM Canada is dedicated to raising funds that help continue to raise awareness around youth mental health and providing services to youth to help better their mental health.

To help people envision a world where the mental health of everyone is taken as a top priority

The YMHM Canada wants to envision a world where the mental health of youth and everyone is taken as the top priority. All of our events and work focus around this to ensure that this happens and that we get closer to this reality.

Past Work and Events

Recommendation Report for a New Suicide Prevention Strategy for Hamilton

This report provides a youth perspective for a new suicide prevention strategy for Hamilton as well as providing an outline for a new strategy. Following its creation, it was submitted to the City of Hamilton , Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton (SPCCH), Hamilton's Medical Officer, and the Mayor's Office. It received a response from all of them and is still currently used as a benchmark report for a youth perspective in the creation and development of the City of Hamilton's new strategy.
Published: 5 September 2021

View/Download Report

March for Youth Mental Health

On 7 May 2022 and 8 May 2022 a March for Youth Mental Health was held. A similar event to this was held in October 2021 for World Mental Health Day.

The main goal of the March for Youth Mental Health is to raise awareness about youth mental health disorders when gathering people together to work together to end the stigma around mental health disorders in youth. The March for Youth Mental Health will also work to push government bodies to do more in their support for providing resources for the youth who need it and create policies that will help youth and their mental health for years to come.

Speakers and leaders in attendance or that took part included:

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada
Hon. Carolyn Bennett, P.C., MP (Minister of Mental Health and Addictions)
Hon. Mike Lake, P.C., MP (Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Addictions and Suicide Prevention)
Hon. Karina Gould, P.C., MP (Minister of Families, Children and Social Development)
Hon. Filomena Tassi, P.C., MP (Minister of Public Services and Procurement and MP for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas)
Chad Collins, MP (MP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek)
Dan Muys, MP (MP for Flamborough-Glanbrook)
Lisa Hepner, MP (MP for Hamilton Mountain)
Matthew Green, MP (MP for Hamilton Centre)
Shafqat Ali, MP (MP for Brampton Centre)
Abhijeet Manay (Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Ontario)
His Worship Fred Eisenberger (Mayor of Hamilton)
Sid Stacey, Chair, Suicide Prevention Community Council of Hamilton
Alisa Simon, Executive Vice President, Chief Youth & Innovation Officer, Kids Help Phone
Abrar Mechmechia, Founder of ABRAR Trauma and Mental Health Services
Simranjeet Singh, President, McMaster Students Union
Denver Della-Vedova, Past President, McMaster Students Union
Elizabeth Wong, Vice-President of Education, McMaster Students Union
Sarphina Chui, Vice-President of Finance, McMaster Students Union
Omar Gharbiyeh, President, University of Toronto Students Union
Simran Mann (Mental Health Advocate)
Olivia Mancini, Co-Founder of SOPEN
Kayla Crabtree, Co-Founder of SOPEN
Samm Floren, Co-Founder of SOPEN
Katarina Kolobaric, Mental Health Speaker (Jack.org)
Kiana Habibagahi, Mental Health Speaker (Jack.org)
Mariam Manaa (Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Burlington)
Monique Taylor, MPP (Ontario NDP Candidate for Hamilton Mountain)
Sandy Shaw, MPP (Ontario NDP Candidate for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas)
Ashley Waters (Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Niagara Falls)
Shubha Sandill (Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Hamilton West-Ancaster-Dundas)
Chantale Lachance (Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Hamilton Mountain)
Ekaterini Dimakis (Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Hamilton Centre)
Harinder Malhi (Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Brampton North)
Melisse Willems (Ontario Liberal Party Candidate for Flamborough-Glanbrook)

Note that this event happened during the 2022 Ontario Provincial General Election period. All candidates from all parties were reached out to attend, however, not all responded and some declined.

Sponsors of the event included:

Bounce Radio 102.9
Frayme
Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention
Young Canadians Roundtable on Health
The Sandbox Project
Unsinkable
Unsinkable Youth
Fearless Minds
Suicide Prevention Community Council - Hamilton
ABRAR Trauma and Mental Health Services

City Council Surveys

During the 2022 Ontario Municipal Elections, the YMHM Canada issued surveys to candidates in Ontario cities about what they are going to do to improve mental health care, access, services, and more. All candidates in Toronto, Hamilton, and Ottawa were issued surveys - only candidates from Hamilton and Ottawa responded.

Hamilton Candidate Answers

Ottawa Candidate Answers

The views expressed on this website and any social media account (@joshuamjbell) are those solely of Joshua Bell. The information on this website should not be taken as medical advice. If you are in a mental health crisis or need help, reach out and make that connection.

I acknowledge that I, in Hamilton and everywhere in Canada, am located on the traditional territories of many Indigenous Communities and that we all have a responsibility to learn more about the rich history and culture of Indigenous Communities and their People as we work toward full reconciliation.