INTERVIEW: Atlantic Wellness launches ‘Wave of Change’ campaign, expanding youth mental health support

An incredible non-profit in the tri-community that offers free mental health support to young people is excited for the opportunity to expand its horizons, as a new campaign has been announced to expand its services for youth in need.

Andrew LeBlanc, Atlantic Wellness Executive Director shared the exciting news regarding their Wave of Change campaign with Max Mornings:

From Atlantic Wellness:

“Atlantic Wellness is excited to launch its $3.5M fundraising campaign, WAVE OF CHANGE, to raise the necessary funding to expand its free mental health services for youth. The funding will enable Atlantic Wellness to hire two Francophone Therapists to improve access to New Brunswick’s French-speaking population. It will also expand the not-for-profit’s outreach services and same-day clinic hours.

The need for timely access to mental health services has been growing steadily each year but with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, that need has skyrocketed. Atlantic Wellness’ role as a service provider is vital. Last year alone, they helped 350 youth, many of whom stated that without Atlantic Wellness, they would have gone without the help they needed.

Executive Director Andrew LeBlanc says, ‘Our youth are really struggling right now. Covid-19 heightened a lot of pre-existing mental health concerns. The demand for our services increased, not just with an influx of new clients but current clients who usually accessed our services once a month needed weekly appointments. The biggest effect was the intensity of symptoms; it really amplified a lot of anxiety and depression. Isolation was also a huge factor for many. Unfortunately, we’ll be feeling the residual mental health impacts for a long time to come but thanks to the generosity of our donors, Atlantic Wellness will be here to help.’

The WAVE OF CHANGE campaign draws on our shared coastal lifestyle while comparing emotions to waves. They can sometimes crash down and overwhelm us, but Atlantic Wellness can help youth navigate these metaphorical emotional waves.

As a not-for-profit, Atlantic Wellness is 100% funded through donations and grants. Their services for youth ages 12 to 21 include one-on-one counselling, a same-day clinic, parent and youth support groups, and outreach therapy. As they grow to meet the demands of the community, their need for increased donations also grows. So far, they’ve raised $2.1 million toward their campaign goal which includes a $500,000 commitment over three years from the Government of New Brunswick.

LeBlanc says, ‘It’s only through the generosity of our community that we have been able to offer our services completely free to our clients over the past 10 years. We are once again reaching out to you to help us expand our services so we can be inclusive of all our youth. Until September 16th, iQ Commercial will be matching all donations up to $100,000 made to the WAVE OF CHANGE campaign. If you can, please donate today at atlanticwellness.org.‘”

Atlantic Wellness is creating lasting change in our community by investing in our youth. For the past 10 years, they have done this by providing youth ages 12 to 21 with timely, professional mental health therapy and coordinated support services regardless of their ability to pay. Since Atlantic Wellness opened in 2012, they have helped over 2200 youth, many who have said that without Atlantic Wellness, they would have gone without the help they needed.

The Government of New Brunswick & Department of Health have also announced $500,000 in funding over the next three years towards the hiring of  two additional therapists for Atlantic Wellness & further service needs.

More Info: Atlantic Wellness