May is Mental Health Awareness Month in Michigan, and for the first time ever young people from across the state who are part of Benton Harbor-based Youth Solutions and Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates will join the discussion to provide a youth perspective during a “Coffee with a Purpose” session this Thursday morning.
Mental Health Awareness: A Youth Perspective will feature the discussion on the importance of mental health as students share their insights on the growing challenge of mental health in the lives of young people during the virtual event on May 27th.
Co-moderators, Dr. Lynn Todman, Vice President of Health Equity at Spectrum Health Lakeland, and Kristin Harrington, Executive Director of Youth Solutions, will lead the impactful discussion on the growing challenge of mental health in the lives of young people. The event will be hosted virtually from 9:00 am to 10:00 am on Thursday morning.
The Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG) panel will break down the stigma associated with mental health, share their personal stories, and discuss what supports they feel need to be made available. JMG is operated by Youth Solutions, an organization that inspires and connects youth to achieve a future beyond imagination, serving over 3,000 young people annually across 60 Michigan cities.
Kristin Harrington, Executive Director of Youth Solutions, says, “Mental health is a growing challenge for young people, particularly as a result of the pandemic, and we wanted to give youth the time, attention, and space to speak about what it means to them,” adding, “We are honored to have Dr. Lynn Todman, who has experience and insight to share, join us for this panel discussion. Although this will be a hard conversation, it will shed light on an important issue facing our young people and will give adults tangible ways to help them overcome their challenges and be successful.”
Registration for “Coffee with a Purpose” is required. You can register at the link below: http://ouryouthsolutions.org/coffee-with-a-purpose.
These are the panelists:
- Amari McKinney, Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates 2021 Youth of the Year, and a graduating senior from the Bridge Academy in Benton Harbor
- Hannah Wyman, a member of Youth Solutions Youth Advisory Council from the JMG program through West Michigan Works! Muskegon County
- Christian Dunn, a member of Youth Solutions Youth Advisory Council from the JMG program through GST Michigan Works!
- Chelsea Smith, a freshman from the JMG program at Odyssey High School run by The Institute for Excellence in Education through Great Lakes Bay Michigan Works!
Inspiring and connecting youth to achieve a future beyond imagination, Youth Solutions is a nonprofit organization committed to providing Michigan’s youth with the desire for an education, the experiences that prepare them for a job or career and the tools to realize their potential. Since 2008, Youth Solutions has impacted more than 18,000 youth ages 14-24, across Michigan. Learn more online at: http://www.ouryouthsolutions.org, follow along on LinkedIn @YouthSolutions, or “like” them on Facebook at @JobsforMichigansGraduates.
As the premier program of Youth Solutions, Jobs for Michigan’s Graduates (JMG) is offered at over 100 locations across the state and helps young people succeed in their education while providing the path to a productive future. JMG is the Michigan affiliate of the national Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) network, one of the largest and most successful student-centered programs that help young people achieve their fullest potential.
