Due to unforeseen circumstances, some clinics at our Bayview campus are temporarily relocated. Read more. »

Family Navigation Project
Hospital  >  Departments  >  Psychiatry  >  Patient care  >  Youth Division  >  Family Navigation Project  >  Youth Engagement Strategy  >  Guiding Principles
PAGE
MENU

Guiding Principles

Deepening Connections with Youth across the GTA

Integrating the strengths of, and adding to, the wealth of knowledge in the GTA MHA community

Reaching youth icon

Reaching youth »

FNP will engage and connect with youth across the GTA in the following ways:

  • Forming partnerships with schools and community groups that already do outstanding work with youth.
  • Working towards greater online visibility for youth and ensuring our online communication conveys transparent and clear information about our service.
  • Embracing a health equity lens to pursue and expand outreach to ensure otherwise under-served communities know about FNP.

Normalizing accessing MHA care »

FNP recognizes the very real internal and external barriers to accessing care reinforced by factors such as stigma. We will work to address these barriers by:

  • Supporting MHA awareness in the GTA community through presentations and written information for youth-serving groups or schools.
  • Advocating for youth-friendly and youth-informed care to stakeholders in the MHA system.
  • Involving youth in the co-creation of external multimedia presentations to transmit research and practice findings in youth-friendly ways.

microphone icon

What FNP heard from stakeholders:

  • Be visible to youth online.
  • Offer translation services.
  • School presentations to normalize MHA care.
  • Leverage social media.
  • Understand what other organizations do to best support youth.

Youth Guiding FNP

Embracing youth leadership to elevate youth voice within FNP

Youth guiding icon

Empowering youth »

FNP is committed to engaging directly with youth to empower them to guide FNP policies, and practice and influence system transformation. We will achieve this through:

  • Implementing and investing resources in a Youth Advisory Council at FNP.
  • Exploring and creating youth staff role(s) at the FNP to embrace the value of peer-topeer support.
  • Reviewing FNP policies and practices to ensure youth autonomy is supported in their care trajectories.
  • Creating opportunities for youth to share ideas and priorities for improving the youth MHA system through research and practice.

Ongoing commitment to youth engagement »

FNP will demonstrate our ongoing commitment to youth engagement by instituting sustainable practices to continually partner with youth to co-design and co-develop various activities and initiatives including:

  • Creating spaces to allow youth partners to develop and implement initiatives at FNP.
  • Evaluating our youth engagement efforts in partnership with youth, to ensure positive outcomes for youth and families and high satisfaction with our program.
  • Ensuring this strategy remains dynamic and responsive to youths’ needs through ongoing evaluation and re-development.
  • Reporting the outcomes of our efforts to youth-friendly conferences and publications and beyond.

microphone icon

What FNP heard from stakeholders:

  • Evaluate youth empowerment at FNP.
  • Review FNP’s name.
  • Embed youth staff in FNP.
  • Explore youth led evaluation.
  • Co-develop and codesign information sharing initiatives about FNP with youth.

Optimally Serving Youth

Creating a comfortable, warm, and open space for youth and families connecting with FNP.

Optimally serving youth icon

Youth-centered navigation »

FNP will be youth-centered in all elements of the navigation process, to prioritize that youth are heard and have the tools to connect with the care they need in the MHA system. We will accomplish this through:

  • Forming authentic relationships and providing youth with the opportunities to connect with FNP throughout the navigation process.
  • Ensuring youth-friendly language in FNP communications.
  • Exploring a broad array of virtual and in-person MHA services across the GTA so FNP can best meet the access needs of youth seeking MHA care.
  • Providing youth-friendly options for connecting with FNP.
  • Supporting youth to understand their options for care and the larger MHA care landscape.
  • Supporting connection to, and participation in, high-quality and youth-friendly services and resources.
  • Ongoing training and skill-building for all FNP staff.

Respect for individual youth contexts »

FNP will ensure an environment of respect for the diverse situations and systems impacting youth, and their preferences in seeking MHA care. This includes:

  • Recognizing the role of given and chosen family systems in youths’ recovery journeys, and providing support for youths’ preferences and needs.
  • Embracing allies as supports to young people seeking care.
  • Committing to making FNP a place where youth from diverse backgrounds and experiences can feel a sense of belonging and comfortable bringing their full selves into their experience with FNP.

microphone icon

What FNP heard from stakeholders:

  • Hear directly from youth about MHA system experiences.
  • Explore texting as a new communication option.
  • Youth peer support embedded in FNP.
  • Explore options for short-term navigation.
  • Confidentiality has to be a given.