Foundry Victoria has officially opened its doors on the south island. This new mental health hub downtown Victoria is operated by the Victoria Youth Clinic, and is a one-stop-shop for young people ages 12-24 who are living with mental health and substance use challenges. It’s designed to provide youth with obstacle-free and judgement-free access to resources, services, and care they need.

The centre is powered by key community partners including NEED2: Suicide Prevention Education & Support, Island Health, the Ministry of Children & Family Development, and Foundry BC.

Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island supports Foundry Victoria, and has committed $3 million in funds over the next several years.

“We are so proud to be part of investing in this resource for our community, thanks to our generous donors,” said Veronica Carroll, CEO of Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island. “Through this collaboration with our community partners and sustainable funding, we can truly make a difference for youth in Victoria.”

Of the $3 million committed, $2.2 million still needs to be raised. The Foundation now has an Innovation in Mental Health Fund to support this initiative. Learn more and donate here.

The Foundry model was created in British Columbia and is now in six communities across the province, with more in the making. “By bringing a variety of wellness services together in one place, we want to remove the stigma of seeking help and reach young people early on – before small problems become big ones,” said Foundry BC Executive Director Dr. Steve Mathias.

Services at Foundry include primary care, mental health and well-being, sexual health, outreach and education, First Nations youth support, and substance use harm reduction. It will continue to expand and adapt its services for young people as needs evolve.

“Taking a team approach enables us to better determine and meet the individual needs of each client that comes through our doors. Foundry’s integrated model is simply the most responsible way to support the wellness needs of our young people,” says Barb Thompson, Victoria Youth Clinic Executive Director.

Read the official BC Government release here.

Visit Foundry Victoria’s official site here.

Foundry Victoria is located at 818 Douglas Street, and is open Monday – Thursday from 11am – 5pm and Fridays 11am – 4pm.

Shown in photo from left to right: Jordan Trousdell, Operations Manager at Foundry Victoria; Barb Thompson, Executive Director of Victoria Youth Clinic (lead agency for Foundry Victoria), Carole James, Minister of Finance and MLA for Victoria-Beacon Hill; Veronica Carroll, CEO of Children’s Health Foundation of Vancouver Island; Judy Darcy, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions.