Youth Diversion to support staff connectivity, mental wellbeing thanks to federal funding
New funding from the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund, administered by the Canadian Red Cross, will help Youth Diversion address the wellness and connectivity of staff, the organization said.
According to a release from Youth Diversion, the organization will receive $13,776, which will be used to support IT needs such as conferencing and allow staff to attend professional development supporting their overall mental wellbeing.
“COVID continues to have a major impact on the culture and overall wellbeing of staff at Youth Diversion,” said Shawn Quigley, Executive Director at Youth Diversion. “The team at Youth Diversion was determined to maintain our outreach services, under strict COVID protocols, during the pandemic so that children, youth and families had a place to turn.”
In doing so, staff were deeply impacted by the added stress and feeling isolated from each other, the organization stated.
This funding will provide Youth Diversion with the ability to upgrade its conferencing needs such as Zoom capabilities, and provide funding for staff to attend workshops and conferences designed to support their overall wellbeing.
“We now have several staff who live outside of Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox & Addington Counties, including those residing in Toronto, who can’t benefit from being in-person during staff events. This grant will greatly improve our connectivity with each other addressing the isolation caused by COVID,” Quigley said.
According to Youth Diversion, from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, community service organizations, including charities, non-profits, and Indigenous governing bodies, across Canada have shown impressive stamina and creativity in their response to the diverse and increasingly challenging needs of their communities. To support the vital work done by these organizations, the Government of Canada invested $400 million in one-time funding to create the Community Services Recovery Fund.
“I am continually impressed by the passion, dedication, and creativity of community service organizations like Youth Diversion. I am equally proud the Government of Canada has supported their important work through the Community Services Recovery Fund,” said Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.
“By investing in these organizations and projects we can help to create a more just and equitable society, where everyone has opportunities to succeed. I look forward to seeing the positive impact of this investment in Kingston over the years to come.”
Youth Diversion, a local charitable organization since 1974, helps young people in our area overcome challenges. This is done by providing prevention, intervention, and educational services that “divert youth from risk and support their ability to thrive,” according to the organization’s website, where readers can find more information on Youth Diversion and its programming.