Community Helpers Program in Tofield

The Community Helpers Program provides opportunities to strengthen support skills, learn more about mental health issues, and suicide prevention. According to Janet Hatch, coordinator for the Community Helpers Program, the Community Helpers enhance programs that reduce the risk of suicide as well as encourage youth and young adults to ask for help when they need it.

“The Community Helpers Program started in the Tofield North Star Outreach School in January 2018,” said Hatch on Friday, Aug. 16. “Now its hosted in the Tofield Community Hall every Tuesday from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. during July and August.”

Hatch coordinates from The Open Door Association, located in Camrose and has been involved with the Community Helpers since October 2018.

Created in the early 1990s, it has been updated in 2008, 2012 and most recently in 2019 and is now offered and funded by Alberta Health Services.

According to Hatch suicide is the second leading cause of Canadian youth deaths and is responsible for 24 percent of deaths in the youth aged 15 to 24.

“Research tells us that youth will seek out a professional for help less than two per cent of the time when faced with a mental health concern . . .” contd.