If you have a close relationship with a friend or a family member who is living with a mental health or addiction problem, and you’re under 25, you are a young carer. Discover what makes young people like you so special, Ontario’s young carers.
Young carers often have special roles in their families. Young carers offer emotional support when it is needed and often help to keep relationships intact.
Other things young carers might do:
If you are feeling overwhelmed, connect with a help line or visit the Youth Wellness Hub in Cornwall (Ontario).
Discover local services that may be of help to your loved one.
Click through our helpful links to find information for caregivers like you.
If you’re the kind of person who likes to get involved in community projects and are 12 to 25 years old, ask us about our local Youth Advisory Committee [email us].
Explore information that may help you support a loved one who is experiencing a substance-use or mental-health problem.
The Youth Wellness Hub in Cornwall is a one-stop shop that offers youth between the ages of 12 and 25 a place to receive judgement-free health, wellness and social services from trained professionals. Designed by youth, for youth. No appointment or OHIP card is required to access help or support services.
Youth Wellness Hub 212 Pitt Street Cornwall 613-935-3485
Want to understand more about your brother or sister’s illness. This may help.
Here’s some help for brothers and sisters. Understand more about psychosis and its effect on the family. Explore ideas that may help you to cope when your sibling is experiencing psychosis.
Carer’s Hub is loaded with content that can help family understand how to help and how to cope when a loved one is living with a serious mental illness.
Feeling down? Feeling hurt? We Matter is a place to help Indigenous youth get through hard times, whether you need support yourself or want to support someone you know.
Virtual Hope Box is a multi-media coping skill app designed for individuals struggling with depression (developed initially to support military service members). Its four main sections are distraction, inspiration, relaxation, and coping skills.
Talk4Healing: A culturally grounded, fully confidential helpline for Indigenous women, available in 14 languages all across Ontario. Call toll-free 1 855 554 HEAL or chat online with a trained counsellor.
The Hope for Wellness Help Line offers immediate mental health counselling and crisis intervention to all Indigenous peoples across Canada. Call 1-855-242-3310 or chat with a counsellor online in English or French. On request, phone counselling is also available in Cree, Ojibway and Inuktitut.
Youth and mental health
It can be hard for a parent or even a close friend to tell if a young person needs help for a mood problem. Dr. Goldbloom offers families advice on when and how to get help.
Growing Up – A Young Carer
Tune in to this song about growing up as a young carer, by Charlotte Rose!
Lucky – The Young Carer Rap
Check out this rap song by Tricky P, shining a light on the life of a young carer (based on his personal experience).
Young carers talk about having mental illness in the family.
Lots of youth use Kids Help Phone for support with relationships, isolation, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts.
Two ways to connect with Kids Help Phone:
Canadian kids whose parents have mental illness.
Highlights from the Young Carers Forum in Toronto, Ontario.
NEXT Provider Resources
Improving the experience of family caregivers in the addiction and mental health system across Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry and Akwesasne, Ontario.
Project partners: