Brighter Days: An Indigenous Wellness Program by Kids Help Phone was developed by Indigenous experts to empower First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth with skills, tools and resources to support their well-being. The program is offered to any group of Indigenous youth from eight to 29 years old in both audio and video format.
About Brighter Days
All Brighter Days sessions begin with a video introduction featuring a trusted Indigenous Influencer Host — including former NHL player Jordin Tootoo — to demystify Kids Help Phone’s services and encourage help-seeking behaviours. This is followed by a culturally safe and engaging session with a Kids Help Phone Indigenous Wellness Specialist. With each session, groups receive a package that includes a step-by-step booklet with fun and meaningful activities, resource materials and promotional gifts for youth participants. Groups then have the option of selecting additional sessions based on the priorities of their community. Each session module is focused on a different wellness topic such as healthy relationships, coping with anxiety, substance use, online safety and more.
Please note that although the Indigenous Wellness Specialist who leads the session is a mental health professional, the program is not a counselling session. Young people looking for support can reach out to Kids Help Phone 24/7.
Provide young people with skills, tools and resources to support their well-being.
Increase awareness and understanding of Kids Help Phone services and other community resources.
Foster relationships with Indigenous youth and communities.
Encourage help-seeking behaviours and reduce stigma around mental health.
Promote the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual well-being of Indigenous young people.
The Brighter Days program was developed for First Nations, Inuit and Métis young people between the ages of eight and 29 years old. Participants can be any organized group of primarily Indigenous young people, including school classes or youth brought together for community programming.
Most sessions of the Brighter Days Program are fully funded through generous donations. Once you’ve completed the registration form, a Kids Help Phone Indigenous Engagement Coordinator will contact you to schedule a session or add your group to a waiting list until funding has been secured. Groups also have the option of funding their own Brighter Days program sessions at a cost of $1,200 per session.
An Indigenous Engagement Coordinator will contact you to book the session or add your group to the waiting list. Once the session is scheduled, the Indigenous Engagement Coordinator will send you a welcome kit with a step-by-step program booklet including fun and meaningful activities, resources, evaluation forms and promotional gifts for youth. The Indigenous Engagement Coordinator will also schedule a time for you to speak with the Indigenous Wellness Specialist who will facilitate your session and discuss how to customize the program to your group’s culture and context.
After the session, the Indigenous Influencer Host will return in a pre-recorded video to take participants through a follow-up evaluation form. All participating groups will receive a youth-friendly report of data collected that has been compiled anonymously.
Thank you for your interest in Kids Help Phone’s Brighter Days Program! We want to let you know that registration doesn’t always guarantee a session, as we’re dependent on regional funding and availability. But we try our best to connect with as many groups as we can!
Yes. If you’re a young person and would like to anonymously request a session for your group, please complete the request form below. An Indigenous Engagement Coordinator will contact a Community Helper (e.g. a teacher, etc.) that you identify to offer to schedule a session with your group and/or add your group to the session waiting list.
Kids Help Phone is working hard to ensure we’re doing everything we can to support First Nations, Inuit and Métis young people across Canada. We also respect the sovereignty and autonomy of Indigenous peoples. We encourage you to participate in and adapt the Brighter Days Program to meet the unique needs of your community. If you have questions, or for more information, please contact us.
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