Kickstand - Who Are We?
An organization....
Incorporated in August 2020, as the Alberta Centre for Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Kickstand is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to advancing youth mental health across the province. Initially established to support the implementation of Kickstand’s integrated youth mental health hubs, the organization has evolved into a pivotal force in delivering comprehensive care to young Albertans.
Through continuous engagement and an iterative feedback process, Kickstand ensures its services are responsive to the unique needs of Alberta’s diverse youth population. Committed to shaping a brighter future, Kickstand empowers young Albertans by providing the support they need for their long-term health and well-being.
Kickstand’s Vision:
is to become the trusted hub for Alberta’s young people and their families, where they can find support to have more good days and build brighter futures.
Kickstand’s Mission:
is to enhance access to holistic health and wellness services for youth, working closely with young people, families, Indigenous communities, and caregivers.
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Kickstand receives core funding from the Ministry of Mental Health & Addiction, Government of Alberta, through a grant agreement. These funds are augmented through philanthropic donations which are stewarded through Kickstand’s strong partnership with the Mental Health Foundation and various research funds.
A team...
Kickstand’s Provincial Implementation Team plays a vital role in supporting communities by facilitating the development of Kickstand Centres. Their work ensures that each centre is established in alignment with evidence-based practices and best-practice guidelines. The team promotes the sharing of knowledge between communities, collects standardized data to measure impact across the Kickstand Network, and connects Alberta’s initiative with pan-Canadian Integrated Youth Services Networks.
A network...
The Kickstand Network is made up of representatives from each community operating a Kickstand Centre and representatives from Kickstand Connect, the on-line integrated youth services platform. Network Members
The Kickstand Network development and operations are supported by the Kickstand Provincial Implementation team. Currently the Network is in early formation with members from 7 Kickstand Centres and Kickstand Connect. The Kickstand Network is a key component to the creation, implementation, and sustainability of Alberta’s recovery model and supports the development of individual and community recovery capital and improves the health and wellness of young Albertans and their families and caregivers.
Successful development of the Network will see Kickstand Centres operating in more and more communities across the province.
A youth mental health hub...
Kickstand Centres provide young people aged 11 to 25 years old with free, confidential and youth focused mental health, substance use, primary care, peer support, Indigenous wellness, and social services (including employment, recreation, and skill building programs) within a youth friendly one-stop-shop hub location. Improved access is achieved by addressing the many internal and external barriers that young people and families/caregivers of young people often face in getting the help that they need including non-traditional hours of operation, integration of care across different providers, no referral needed, no admission criteria, and walk-in access with no waiting list for mental health therapy sessions.
Each Kickstand Centre is created in such a manner to promote a strong sense of ownership and belonging to the local young people, families/caregivers, service providers and other youth mental health stakeholders. While reflecting local context, centres will also make up a recognizable provincial network that provides consistent experiences for young people and families/caregivers accessing wholistic health and wellness services.
Kickstand - How do we do this?
The implementation of the Kickstand Network is centered on transforming community-based resources through a collective impact approach.
Building on international, national and provincial evidence, this model of system transformation aims to re-organize and augment existing wholistic health and wellness services and supports within a community into a collaborative service framework to support delivery of care in a youth-friendly hub location with a focus on considerations around youth uptake and acceptability.
Kickstand Centre development aligns with a set of common principles and result in co-location and intentional integration of community-based recovery supports and services, shifting responsibility for providing seamless and effective care away from the service user. Implementation is done with a focus on youth and family/caregiver engagement and equity, inclusion, and decolonizing practices. It results in identifying and understanding true gaps in community systems, provides a structure for smooth transitions as individuals step-up and step-down from specialized or intensive treatment options, and promotes system efficiencies.
Above: an example of a local Kickstand hub
What are we hoping to achieve?
Kickstand’s goal is to increase the number of young people in Alberta who are connected to supports and services that optimize their health and wellbeing.
This will be achieved through the successful launch of the Kickstand Network. Kickstand will focus on implementation in 7 communities before March 2026. Early impact from the first community Kickstand Centres and Kickstand Connect will assist in facilitating the opportunity and speed of future scale and spread.
- Young people and the family/caregivers of young people will have a positive help-seeking experience.
- Young people will have all their needs met within a single location and in an integrated manner, avoiding the need to seek out supports from different providers in different locations, tell their story over and over, and then be responsible for how their interventions are coordinated.
- Mental health and substance use issues will be identified earlier, providing opportunities for earlier treatment and more positive health outcomes. This may also lead to avoiding negative consequences often experienced with untreated mental health conditions.
- In the long run, Kickstand can impact the overall health and wellness of Alberta young people and be the go-to place for them to have more good days!
Together, we can make a difference!
Contact Us
For general inquiries, please email hello@mykickstand.ca
Other inquiries can be directed to Katherine Hay, Executive Director, at katherine.hay@mykickstand.ca
