WELLINGTON COUNTY – The Integrated Youth Service Network (IYSN) has announced the co-chairs of the newly formed team that will lead a $10-million fundraising campaign.
Jim Jarrell, president and chief operating officer of the Linamar Corporation, and Rose Zen-Soligo, a registered psychotherapist, will co-chair the Campaign Cabinet.
Both co-chairs have been impacted by the current crisis youth in the community are facing and have been inspired to take action.
Jarrell learned from chairing the United Way campaign that youth are in significant crisis.
“I have watched several young Linamar workers struggle significantly with mental health issues over the years and recently a colleague’s son ended his own life,” he said.
“A tragedy that is happening way too frequently.
“Without real change and a support network that provides timely access and services for youth, this cycle will continue.”
As a registered psychotherapist, Zen-Soligo works with clients with diverse needs. She believes that in order to be effective on a larger scale, services need to be readily accessible to as many young people as possible.
Jarrell and Zen-Soligo will work closely with Cyndy Moffat Forsyth, the new director of the IYSN, particularly with raising funds for the project.
As the new director of IYSN, Moffat Forsyth has been instrumental in bringing the model to Guelph and Wellington County. A member of the Rotary Club of Guelph, the organization that is leading the development of the project, Moffat Forsyth volunteered her time in getting the project up and running from the beginning.
She was inspired to take action based on her personal experience trying to navigate a fragmented system to find answers for her daughter.
“It’s the not knowing where to turn that is incredibly painful,” Moffat Forsyth said.
“It’s having to make countless phone calls for help only to be put on hold, referred or asked to defend why you are calling.
“It’s being asked ‘How old is your child?’ and being told ‘I can’t talk to you’. It’s the endless waiting lists and desperately trying to explain to medical professionals that it’s not laziness, it’s not being spoiled, there is actually something very wrong, my child just can’t cope and needs help now.”
Inspired by Dr. Joanna Henderson and the Youth Wellness Hubs Ontario model, the IYSN will provide youth ages 12 to 26 with services from education and career support, to counselling and peer-to-peer programs. The IYSN will provide help and encouragement to every youth in the community.
Comprised of seven microsites, the IYSN will feature the benefit of “one door”, meaning that youth will only tell their story once. Each site will be able to assess the needs of youth, and technology will be used so that access to the right services is available no matter where they are. Virtual counselling will be available when professionals are off-site, reducing wait times for programs and support. This will be made possible through an interconnected online system.
Strengthening the future for youth in Wellington County and Guelph is number one goal of this team.
Campaign funds will enable both the capital and programming costs associated with each of the seven sites to support the over 46,000 youth between 12 and 26 in the community.
