​Bruce Power donates $1-million to The Well Community Collective in support of local youth

Bruce Power has donated $1-million to a new youth wellness project that will benefit people, aged 12 to 25, in Bruce, Grey, Huron and Perth counties.

The Well Community Collective (The Well) is a community-driven initiative committed to improving youth mental health and well-being. The Collective’s flagship initiative is the creation of Youth Hubs — youth-centred spaces designed to provide safe, supportive, and stigma-free environments for youth to access care, connect with peers, and build brighter futures.

The hubs provide free, barrier-free access to a wide range of supports, including mental health, substance use, and primary care services, as well as help with education, employment, housing, and wellness, all under one roof.

The Well is raising $6-million to fund integrated youth wellness hubs in Kincardine, Owen Sound, Stratford and Exeter, with plans to expand to other centres in the region.

Using a model developed by the Centre of Mental Health and Addiction, and proving successful in other regions in southern Ontario, The Well brings together a wide range of social and community services to offer youth and young adults necessary resources for mental health, addiction and personal well-being in a brick-and-mortar facility, which will also act as a youth centre for hanging out with friends, helping to remove possible stigmas.

“The reality of living in our rural communities is that it can be difficult to access mental health and addiction services, especially for youth and young adults who may not have the means to travel elsewhere in the region for immediate assistance,” said James Scongack, Bruce Power’s executive vice-president and chief operating officer.

“Bruce Power is excited for The Well Community Collective to begin opening its doors in communities across Bruce, Grey, Huron and Perth counties to offer a safe space and needed services to teens and young adults.”

Shannon McGavin, executive director of The Well Community Collective, expressed her gratitude to Bruce Power on behalf of the organization and local youth.

“We’re concerned for youth in our area as we see high levels of mental health disorders and alarming rates of suicide in our young people,” she said. “We want our youth to be successful and optimistic for the future and this donation will go a long way to help provide the supports needed to make that happen.”

“We want to ensure that our young people have all the tools they need to thrive,” said Kincardine mayor Kenneth Craig. “We are especially pleased that Bruce Power is making another substantial contribution in multiple communities across our region. It will have impactful, long-term benefits.”

“Bruce County believes strongly in supporting our young people to ensure they’re healthy, happy and prepared for a bright future,” said warden Luke Charbonneau, “and we believe The Well Community Collective can help address the needs of our youth by pulling service providers together under one roof.”

“When we invest in the health and well-being of our youth, we’re strengthening all of our local rural communities,” said Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson, minister of rural affairs.

“Bruce Power’s donation to The Well Community Collective is a strong example of what it means to invest in our future. This project will give young people the tools and support they need to thrive close to home. It’s heartening to see local partnerships creating real, lasting impacts for our next generation.”

“The Well Community Collective is a great initiative that will make a difference for local youth across all four counties for years to come, said Bruce Grey-Owen Sound MPP Paul Vickers. “I applaud Bruce Power for its corporate citizenship, and for recognizing this specific need in our community.”