On March 20, Elevated Grounds will be bringing its message of hope to the Waterloo Catholic District School Board, with more performances scheduled for April and May.

The statistics illustrate the enormity and importance of combatting mental health, said Gudge.

In Ontario, the equivalent of three busloads of youth will kill themselves this year; the onset of most mental health issues occurs between the ages of 12 and 25; 83 per cent of children and youth with mental health problems receive no professional help.

“We try to stress the need for young people to see the issue of mental health as an integral part of their overall health and wellness,” said Gudge. “In the same way they take care of their hair and muscles, we’ve got to have them take more responsibility and care of the mind,” said Gudge.

Day-to-day stresses, if not managed properly, can lead to serious mental health issues, he added.

It’s a message that has been delivered to more than 50,000 youth since 2007 when the organization was founded.

Elevated Grounds was born out of tragedy after a youth took his own life in East Scarborough, said Nyahsa Ysrayl, founder and director.

“We no longer wanted to be part of perpetuating the silence around an issue that was plaguing the community of youth.”

Along with offering after-school workshops, performances are followed by facilitated “talk back” sessions to encourage dialogue.

Currently made up of seven performers between the ages of 18 and 26, their connection to mental health varies.

“Some of them are mental illness survivors, some are caregivers to a family member living with a mental disorder and others are advocates,” said Ysrayl.

Renita Comrie, 22, contributes to Elevated Grounds as an actor and singer. Through her work as a personal support worker, she deals with clients that have Alzheimer’s, dementia and other mental health issues. On a personal level, she has family members who have overcome mental health issues ranging from schizophrenia to clinical depression.

“We definitely have to provide a message of hope to those who see our performances,” said Comrie.

“It provides a space for them to seek help if they need it as opposed to being very afraid of judgment. It brings a lot more awareness, understanding and acceptance.”

Ysrayl has seen firsthand the effectiveness of the group’s peer-mentoring approach.

“After one presentation, we had three or four students run up to the stage and start asking about where they can seek help… They acknowledged the fact that they no longer had to be ashamed about what it was they were experiencing.”

She also sees the impact on one of their current performers who is living with a mental health condition.

“He’s starting to understand that his mental health condition doesn’t define him. It’s just a part of who he is and he’s learning to cope more effectively and in a more healthy way.”

Seeking help means talking to social workers at school, child and youth workers, your principal, guidance counsellor and peers, said Gudge.

“This is where advocacy plays a role in terms of a call for youth-friendly services and programs for young people to be able to access at the community level as opposed to having the services situated in hospitals and institutional settings. And to have them be culturally sensitive because culture and religion play a major role in how we deal with it.

“The spiritual aspect is very important.”

Some strategies to achieve positive mental health include stress management, a loving support system, quiet time for yourself, healthy eating, adequate sleep and exercise.

For more information, see www.elevatedgrounds.com or e-mail info@elevatedgrounds.com.