Wanasah: Mental Health Services for Black Youth

Birthed over a decade ago out of a community-based peer mentorship program, Wanasah’s early years were spent serving over 500 youth for an 8-year span. Through the connections that were formed, the mentorship program morphed into a support network that served four families, 25 children and a mother’s group. This grassroots project and continued outreach in the community has increased engagement across the Black population in Regent Park. Through continued work on the ground, Wanasah aims to expand its reach in the community and provide services that will meet the unmet needs of the Black youth and their families. The team at Wanasah understands that many Black youth in Regent Park and Toronto at large are both directly and indirectly affected by the rise in gun violence, lower educational success, and societal racism. These issues can lead to a rise in mental health and addiction needs that is coupled with the current stigma attached to these issues along with the lack of access to relevant, effective, and convenient mental health and addictions services. Wanasah was created to fill this gap and help support Black youth in the Regent Park community and surrounding areas.