SOUTH DUNDAS – “To the youth in the community – this space is for you,” said Michel Laviolette, Youth Wellness Hub program manager at last Friday’s grand opening event of the new South Dundas Youth Wellness Hub in Iroquois.
The new drop in centre service in the former St. Lawrence Medical Clinic area of the South Dundas Archives building at 5 College Street in Iroquois, is now open to welcome youth from ages 12-25.
Walking in the door, the bright, fun space is a great place for youth to gather, game and just hang out. But, beyond that, the site will be staffed with people to help with just about anything.
“To the youth, if you have no idea what we’re doing here, that part is not important,” said Laviolette. “We serve youth from 12 to 25, and we’re a one stop shop.” He explained that any youth in need of anything can drop in.
“We’ll work with them. We’ll make sure they get the support they need. If it’s not us, we’ll reach out to our partners to make sure they get support.”
Therapists and peer support workers are part of the Hub staff who will be available on-site.
The South Dundas Youth Wellness Hub going forward will be open every other Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Hub will next be open June 5.
“We’re happy to be able to offer this re-purposed space as a Hub,” said South Dundas Mayor Jason Broad, who added that they are looking for more partners for this space.
Already, they have established a partnership with Beyond 21 which operates a satellite location within the Hub space. They too are working towards the establishment of a future daycare.
“Today is more that just the opening of a building,” said Laviolette. “It represents connection, collaboration and a shared commitment to supporting the people in this community. We are very proud that the Youth Hub will be part of this space alongside so many valuable community services.”
He went on to explain that the Youth Hub was created to help improve access to services and supports for youth and young adults between the ages of 12 and 25.
“We know that navigating mental health, substance use, housing, education, employment and other life challenges can sometimes feel overwhelming, especially in rural communities where services may not always be close by or easy to access. By bringing these services together in one welcoming and accessible location, we hope to reduce barriers and make it easier for young people and families to connect with the support they need, when they need it.”
“It’s addressing many community needs,” said MP Eric Duncan who offered congratulations to all involved. He added they the partnerships are key to getting service to every corner of a community.
Adrian Bugelli spoke on behalf of MPP Nolan Quinn. He spoke about how different the struggles of young people today are. “Having something like this available to our kids is absolutely key,” he said.
“This is not just a room, this is somewhere you want to spend time and be,” said SDG Warden François Landry. “Good on the municipality to have this space available for this.”
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