I am a Public Health Nurse and Youth Net Coordinator for the City of Hamilton. Youth Net Hamilton is a mental health promotion and early intervention program for youth ages 13 to 18. The original Youth Net / Réseau Ado site in Ottawa began in 1994 as an outcome of the Canadian Youth Mental Health & Illness Survey findings (1993). Operating since 2000, Youth Net Hamilton promotes mental health in two ways. First, the Youth Advisory Team (volunteers ages 13 to 18) advises the Youth Net Hamilton Coalition and works on projects to improve the mental health and well-being of youth in the community. Second, Youth Net reaches out through focus groups led by facilitators (ages 19 to 30) to find out what issues affect the lives of youth and how youth deal with these issues. Early intervention is facilitated when youth at risk of self-harm or struggling with mental health issues are connected with appropriate supports.
