Youth mental health was the topic of conversation when Prince George Ford approached The Foundry Prince George, operated by the YMCA BC.
“We met and discussed some of Foundry's needs and gaps in services,” said Melissa Cailleaux, director of community programs for the Y.
Foundry Prince George offers young people, 12 to 24 years old, access to mental health and substance use support, primary care, peer support and social services from a single location in the heart of downtown.
“Foundry currently offers clinical counselling on a walk-in basis because it is accessible and in the moment," Cailleaux said.
"This model doesn't meet all needs however, and we talked about piloting a brief therapy stream in addition to our walk-in services and single session services.”
Brief therapy allows young people to access eight to 12 scheduled sessions with the same clinician to work through a significant issue or towards a particular goal, Cailleaux explained.
“Ultimately, Ford chose to direct their donation to this new way of offering services and to invest in a deeper level of support for young people who need it,” Cailleaux said.
“We anticipate their donation will allow 25 youth to benefit from this new service in 2025. We are so grateful to Ford for connecting with us and ultimately contributing $40,000 towards counselling services at Foundry PG. This is a significant investment in Foundry PG, YMCA BC, and, most importantly, in young people in our community.”
Prince George Ford is proud to contribute to the betterment of the youth of Prince George and their families with this donation, came a statement from the local business.
"Having previously supported the programs at Foundry, we know how impactful these contributions are on the youth around our city,” Chris Wall, Prince George Ford general manager, said.
“Our hope is that we can continue to support this great work in the future so that services are there for those who need it. It's a great privilege for us to contribute. It is the hope of Prince George Ford to continue to see our youth given opportunities and support when it is needed most in this community. Foundry is an incredible group of people putting in the day-to-day work needed to make the youth in their care feel seen, heard, and supported as they make their way in the world.”
