Finding Her Voice, Giving Back

How Kaitlin is Helping Shape Youth Mental Health Care

When Kaitlin first connected with the Family Navigation Project (FNP) at Sunnybrook, she was looking for a way to turn her lived experience into something meaningful. Now, that decision is helping improve mental health care for young people across Ontario.

Turning Experience into Action

While studying at Queen's University, Kaitlin reflected on her own mental health journey. Diagnosed with a mental health condition nearly a decade prior, she understood firsthand the importance of community, empathy/compassion and access to care. "I had a lot of support from my family, and it really shaped who I am," she says. "It ignited my passion for supporting youth mental health initiatives."

In 2021, Kaitlin joined the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), part of the Family Navigation Project at Sunnybrook, where young people with lived experience help inform programs, services and research. What began as an opportunity to share her perspective quickly became a chance to help create change.

Creating Change Through Research & Building Confidence

Kaitlin’s involvement with FNP at Sunnybrook has grown from youth advisory work into hands-on research focused on improving mental health supports for young people. Through the Youth Advisory Council, she contributed to a successful research grant and later participated in projects aimed at strengthening youth mental health care.

Last summer, she worked with youth in Sudbury and Manitoulin Island, facilitating experience-based co-design sessions to better understand the challenges facing young people in northern communities. “It was fascinating to connect with youth and hear their stories firsthand,” she says. “Growing up in North York, I had access to many resources. In Northern Ontario, it’s different. There can be more barriers, and there is still a lot of stigma around mental health.”

This summer at Sunnybrook, her work with FNP supports the development of simulation-based training tools for staff working with youth and families experiencing mental health challenges and preparing to begin her master’s degree, with the goal of becoming a clinical psychologist focused on youth mental health research and care.

Supporting Youth and Families

For Kaitlin, one of the things that makes FNP at Sunnybrook special is its commitment to person-centred care.

"Taking that first step can be really intimidating," she says. "But reaching out is a sign of strength. FNP helps people keep that strength going."

She also recognizes the important role families play in a young person's mental health journey.

"Youth mental health affects more than the youth themselves—it affects the whole family," she says.

"FNP helps take some of that load off so families can focus on supporting their child." Thanks to donor support through RBC Race for the Kids, young people like Kaitlin are helping shape the future of youth mental health care, ensuring that more youth can access the support they need, when they need it most.

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