Young people and their families living in the South Okanagan now have access to a new one-stop shop to support their health and wellness needs, thanks to the official opening of Foundry Penticton!
Foundry Penticton provides young people aged 12 to 24 with a safe and judgment-free environment, where they can feel comfortable asking for help and accessing the services they are seeking. The centre is operated by OneSky Community Resources, who took the lead in bringing together a number of local organizations to transform the way health and wellness services are provided to the city’s youth.
Foundry Penticton is a purpose-built space for young people. A youth advisory council were key decision makers during the creation of the centre and will continue to be now the centre is open. Husain Sattar, a youth advisor for Foundry Penticton, says “Everyone knows someone who is struggling. Nobody is immune. There is no greater investment a community could make than to give youth a home, a place designed with youth, and for youth, where they can feel safe, supported, connected and welcome. Foundry will be life changing for some of the youth that walk through the door to join a program or start a conversation.”
The building is located at 501 Main St. and offers primary care, walk-in counselling, substance use support, peer support, mental health services, housing, employment and legal advocacy. In the fall, a sexual health clinic, income assistance and opioid agonist therapy (OAT) will be added. The interdisciplinary health care team at Foundry Penticton is full of dedicated practitioners that work collaboratively with young people and their families to prepare the most well-rounded and appropriate care plans, based on the unique needs and circumstances of each youth that comes in to the centre.
Foundry Penticton is one of eight centres that are now open in British Columbia, joining Granville, North Shore, Abbotsford, Kelowna, Campbell River, Victoria and Prince George. Three additional centres are currently in development – Richmond, Terrace and Ridge Meadows. A Pathway to Hope: B.C.’s mental health roadmap”, announced in June 2019, included eight new centres, which will bring the total number of centres up to nineteen.
Learn more about Foundry Penticton.