By: Morgan Macklin
Since 1994, Impact Society has been working diligently to pave the way for youth mental health programs across Canada. With the mission to provide all youth, caregivers, Indigenous groups, and communities with the tools needed to live a flourishing life, it is no shock that Impact Society is chosen as one of Calgary’s best charities. This blog will outline the history of Impact Society, what they do, and how they have been making a difference in the communities they operate.
the history of impact society
It was nearly 30 years ago that the Impact Society was incorporated. Since the start, we have been delivering the Heroes program; a social-emotional learning tool that helps youth navigate risk and develop positive mental health and well-being. This evidence-based program focuses on building students' strengths, resilience, and decision-making skills. Heroes does so by covering four core competencies: confidence, character, integrity, and purpose that aim at building up students through a trauma-informed approach.
As a charity, Impact Society’s programs are delivered to youth and caregivers in schools and community organizations by educators, volunteers, and community leaders. Since its start, Impact Society has been able to support over 250,000 youth across the country and continues to actively seek out new opportunities to extend this reach. Through program development, partnerships, donations, and expanding its reach with communities, and school boards across the nation, Impact Society strives to give every youth the tools they need to live a flourishing life.
our programs
heroes
The Heroes program aims at moving students aged 11-15 from at-risk to at-potential. It respectfully invites students to participate in experiential learning that allows students to develop a better sense of identity while increasing the confidence needed to take on adversity.
heroes 2
Heroes 2 is a natural progression from the initial Heroes program by elevating mental well-being and encouraging youth to lead from their strengths to better their community. This program encourages youth to discover the hero in themselves and inspire it in others.
heroes @ home
Heroes @ Home helps solidify Heroes concepts by bringing them into a student's home life. This program equips caregivers and parents with the ability to recognize their strengths and in turn provide the proper framework to allow youth to flourish. It is an interactive e-course aimed at building healthy homes and families.
heroes are warriors
Heroes are Warriors is another iteration of the Heroes program but with an Indigenous context. This course has an intended audience of Indigenous youth and their communities and strives to develop the emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual conscience of an individual. It encompasses the richness of Indigenous culture designed to create resilient and successful youth with a focus on holistic well-being.
our work & the challenges at hand
Today's youth are facing a mental health crisis, in which support is needed more than ever. While this can be linked to the impacts of COVID-19, youth mental health was overlooked prior to the pandemic as well. A recent UNICEF study exemplifies this as it revealed that Canadian youth fare miserably in terms of mental well-being. When considering the economic status of Canada, the fact that it ranked at 31 out of 38 countries is inexcusable.
Several factors put youth at risk, increasing the need for mental health support. The term ‘at-risk youth’ aligns with those who experience poor home lives, struggle in school and/or with peers, have poor mental health, or engage in risky behaviour. At-risk youth are especially vulnerable and, without proper intervention, can face adverse consequences. This has become evident with the staggering suicide rates among youth aged 15-19, making it the second leading cause of death among this age group. While this is not the end product of all at-risk youth, it outlines the need to get ahead of the curve.
Fortunately, social-emotional learning programs have been heavily promoted within school systems to help create brighter futures for at-risk youth. SEL programs are proven to increase academic performance by 11 percentile points, improve motivation to learn and behave well, decrease disruptive behaviour, and reduce emotional stress and anxiety. Therefore, Impact society is working with communities, teachers, parents, and youth to combat the mental health crisis.
closing
Overall, the Impact Society is honoured to be sought out by The Best in Calgary as one of the top charities in the city. With this praise, the team aspires to extend its Impact far beyond what has currently been done. As clarified the need for mental health resources is critical in today’s society, therefore, Impact Society will continue to work day by day to help youth find their purpose and strive for long-term success.