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83 # R I S I N G Y O U T H C O M M U N I T Y I M P A C T V O L . 2 A fter spending over two decades away in Ontario, Jennifer Dundas decided to make the move to Martensville, Saskatchewan to be closer to her family. While making a home in this new place, Jennifer saw that there was limited support in the city for mental health, especially amongst youth. While she experienced hardships when she was a teen, Jennifer understood how having safe places for her and her friends to gather and seek guidance from others was a positive influence in her life. She wanted to bring a similar space to Martensville. "Bullying is something that is still very prevalent in today's youth population," she said. "By being able to bring a group that addresses mental health and other issues to Martensville, it can create an improved narrative for today's youth." In partnership with Carter's Counselling Services, Jennifer organized a drop-in youth program where youth could come together to talk about their feelings and support each other in a safe environment. "High school-aged children can be going through a difficult time not just externally but internally as well," explained Jennifer. "They are not given the tools to navigate high school, relationships, home life, and so on and so forth. By creating a safe space, it allows for a moment of safety and clarity for the youth to just catch their breath." Bullying is something that is still very prevalent in today's youth population... Safe Spaces for Youth in Martensville, Saskatchewan Jennifer Dundas A blog post written by Jennifer about the creation of safe spaces in Martensville.

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