This month, Foundry celebrated the completion of its two-year proof-of-concept phase with a celebration and knowledge exchange event helped in North Vancouver on June 25-26. With over 150 attendees, including staff, families, and youth from across the Foundry network, key partners, funders, and guest speakers from across Canada, the event was an opportunity to celebrate our accomplishments over the past two years and forge ahead into future plans.
The first day concluded with remarks by Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.
“This is a pathway to hope. We need to get to a place where every person living with mental health issues or addictions has access to care.” Darcy states.
During her remarks, Minister Darcy also announced the two newest communities to join the Foundry network: Terrace and Richmond.
These communities join 11 others that have developed or are developing Foundry centres. Each centre brings together physical and mental health care, substance use supports, social services, and youth and family peer supports, all under one roof to serve youth ages 12-24.
Currently, there are seven Foundry centres across the province, including Kelowna, Vancouver (Granville and North Shore), Prince George, Campbell River, Victoria and Abbotsford with four more underway: Penticton, Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows, and the newly announced Terrace and Richmond communities.
The event featured a showcase of presentations from representatives from all facets of Foundry, workshops, interactive art installations and speakers from all over Canada such as FRAYME, Embrace Life Council, and Access Open Minds
