Meet Steph, one of our youth advisors

Meet Steph, one of our youth advisors

Steph grew up in the town of Newmarket, Ontario as the youngest of three siblings. Their father worked as a primary school teacher and mother as a volunteer and vibrant member of the community. 

As a child, Steph enjoyed dance, musical theatre and played ringette for many years. In grade nine, a switch to a tiny school and difficult new friendships brought inner sadness to the forefront. Bullied, depressed and engaging in self-harm, Steph says that they summoned the courage to go the emergency room and announce their desire to die. 

“To my horror, the staff member that I chose to share these incredibly personal feelings with, informed me that I was in the wrong department of the hospital, didn't offer any further assistance and completely shut me down. I left feeling heartbroken, abandoned and without any trust left in the health care system."

Visits to a local family doctor and therapist felt ineffective and limiting to a young teenager, living in a tightly knit town.

“As a teen I felt that there was no freedom or safe place to tell my story. High school guidance counsellors were better at planning our academic futures and my mom was invited to attend my therapy sessions. There was no confidentiality anywhere and I felt so lost.”

Mood changes continued after Steph left home for college, followed by a misdiagnosis and summer hospitalization. With the assistance of a correct diagnosis and proper medication, Steph was able to finish school and move to Ottawa.

“The care that I received over the past two years has been better than I could have ever hoped for. It is just unfortunate that I had to be hospitalized before I was able to access the right services when I needed them.” 

Currently pursuing a career in photography, graphic arts and, “really all things creative”, Steph is also passionate about their work as a 1Call1Click.ca Youth Partner on the 1Call1Click Table.

“It was phenomenal discovering how inclusive the 1Call1Click.ca Table is and how comfortable this group was having difficult discussions. It makes me very happy to know that family and youth voices have been heard, at every stage of the 1Call1Click.ca planning process, along with the voices of people of colour, members of the Indigenous community and queer folk. It was warming to see diversity on our calls and to know that so many experiences are reflected in the way 1Call1Click.ca was created.” 

Steph hopes that 1Call1Click.ca gives kids and youth the opportunity to avoid some of the challenges and barriers they faced when trying to access and be matched with the right mental health and addiction services at the right time.

“1Call1Click.ca will give kids and youth the safety and privacy to connect, ask questions and find information without having to wait until they are feeling extremely unwell. It is also a chance to find a community of support and know that there are options for them other than the emergency room and expensive therapy sessions. I can’t wait for it to be accessible.”

And Steph also wants everyone to know that with the right help, things can get better.

“To the kids and youth who need help please reach out. Proper healthcare can change your life for the better. I have seen how much the folks who run 1Call1Click.ca care deeply, and the spectrum of services that are there to help kids and youth. It might be hard to admit that you need help, but once you do and can access the right services when you need them, things can really start to improve.”