The provincial government is providing $400,000 in new funding for an initiative in Portage la Prairie that will help young people struggling with mental health, addictions, or homelessness.
Housing, Addictions and Homelessness Minister Bernadette Smith and Families Minister Nahanni Fontaine announced today the province is expanding the Huddle initiative, which provides integrated mental health, addiction and overall wellness services to youth ages 12 to 29, to include Portage. The new huddle site will be co-located with Youth Connect programming, which is already being offered through the Portage la Prairie Community Revitalization Corporation.
“It is important for our youth to have a place to go and have access to the supports that they need when they need it,” said Smith. “We are not using a one-size-fits-all approach to care, we are working with young people to meet them where they are at and support them through their mental health or addictions journey.”
Youth Connect sites are Indigenous-led or partnered programs that provide navigation services to young adults who have transitioned out of care, with the primary goal of preventing homelessness. Each Youth Connect site offers housing, system navigation, case planning, culturally appropriate supports and advocacy. There are currently two other co-located Huddle-Youth Connect sites in Winnipeg and Selkirk, with an additional site planned for northern Manitoba.
According to the provincial government’s release, the province provides more than $2.4 million annually to support six Huddle sites in Winnipeg, Selkirk and Brandon, and more than $1 million annually to support Youth Connect sites in Swan Valley, Portage la Prairie, Selkirk, Winnipeg and The Pas.
