The Youth Wellness Champions (YWC) program is a peer-led wellness initiative that empowers students to identify well-being priorities within their school communities and take meaningful action to address them. Developed by the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO), the program helps youth build leadership skills, increase mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and promote positive school environments through student-led projects and activities. The YWC model is based on youth engagement and peer support principles, recognizing that students play an important role in fostering healthy, inclusive, and supportive school communities.
Through YWC, students work alongside school staff, public health professionals, and community partners to:
- Identify wellness priorities within their school.
- Develop and implement student-led action plans.
- Promote positive mental health and well-being.
- Increase awareness of mental health and substance use issues.
- Strengthen student voice, leadership, and engagement.
- Foster school connectedness, inclusion, and belonging.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit supports participating schools by providing guidance, resources, training, and collaboration opportunities to help Youth Wellness Champions succeed in creating healthier school communities.
Learn More
To learn more about the Youth Wellness Champions program, visit the RNAO YWC: https://rnao.ca/bpg/youth-wellness-champions
Contact Us
For more information about Youth Wellness Champions in the Thunder Bay District Health Unit region, contact:
Children, Youth & Families Team
Thunder Bay District Health Unit
(807) 625-5900 or 1-888-294-6630
schools@tbdhu.com
www.tbdhu.com/school-health