Ontario Youth Sector Compass: Spotlight on Black Youth Mental Health
The Ontario Youth Sector Compass (OYC) research project, led by Youth Research and Evaluation eXchange (YouthREX), aims to illuminate the state of youth work in Ontario. Between 2021 and 2022, YouthREX collected both quantitative data from surveys and qualitative data from one-on-one interviews with youth and youth workers to provide insights about the diverse experiences of these groups across the province.
The study, launched in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, gave us an understanding of the state of youth wellbeing during a tumultuous and uncertain time. Young people between the ages of 15 to 29 shared diverse stories, ranging from the challenges of social distancing measures, how access to youth programs closed or moved online, the impact of high-profile police brutality and race-based violence, to deep worries about their financial futures. Alongside the concerns, youth also shared an appreciation for the gift of time; specifically, more time to try new hobbies, work on themselves, appreciate loved ones, and dream about the futures they would like to shape.
Black Youth Mental Health
As the YouthREX team delved into the hours of data, the concerns echoed by both youth and youth workers about the state of youth mental health and wellbeing in Ontario stood out. We know that the current landscape of mental health services and supports does not meet the urgent and overwhelming needs of Canadian youth, where only 20% of young people receive appropriate care. For Black youth in Canada, the mental health crisis is exacerbated by anti-Black racism1,2 and deeply embedded structural inequities across systems serving youth, including education, child welfare, health, criminal justice, and the labour market. Black youth may face unique barriers to accessing mental healthcare, including severe limitations in appropriate and culturally relevant resources, as well as community stigma and misinformation about mental health supports as a result of structural dehumanization and disenfranchisement.
The challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic manifested in greater mental health disparities, with Black Canadians faring worse when compared to their non-Black counterparts during the pandemic. To better understand these dynamics, the YouthREX team decided to incorporate a study on the wellbeing of Black youth as a part of the larger OYC review; in particular, the team explored if and how Black youth mental health needs were being supported.
The analysis of the 249 surveys and 12 interviews from Black youth resulted in four main themes:
- Mental Health Ratings
- Experiences of Discrimination
- Barriers to Mental Healthcare Access
- Attitudes Towards Achieving ‘a Good Life’
1. Mental Health Ratings
Over half (50.6%) of Black youth surveyed in Ontario rated their mental health as below average, and two-thirds (66%) said it had worsened since the beginning of the pandemic. Only 13.3% reported improvement, while 20% said it stayed the same. Open-ended responses and interviews revealed that the pandemic negatively affected youth through isolation, disruptions to school and work, reduced access to programs, and loss within their communities.
“So, during COVID you could say I was just – I was in, like, a little state of depression. I got out of that for sure, with help from my friends and family. But then it’s – you know, it’s never really been the same since. And then there’s the whole thing with school and everything that just flew by. You know. I should have been prepared for it, but I wasn’t. And so here I am.” – Black Youth OYC Interview Participant
Youth also discussed the mental health impacts of anti-Black racism. They shared reflections about the stress of code-switching and navigating environments that invalidate intersecting identities . One youth shared,
“Oftentimes, people of colour spend more time code-switching because they want to bring the personality that they feel like other people, depending on their audience that they’re interacting with at the moment, will find more receptive, I guess. So, you spend time code switching at work, code switching with acquaintances, code switching with groups and communities I guess. And so maybe the only time you might not even necessarily need to code switch is when you are at home. You can just be your authentic self. But I would like to be my authentic self everywhere.” – Black Youth OYC Interview Participant
Together, the stories from Black youth in this study reveal that these youth were carrying a lot, from the isolation and stress of the pandemic to the impact of anti-Black racism, that negatively impact their overall wellbeing. Their experiences highlight that meaningful support must create comfortable spaces for Black youth to show up as their full selves.
2. Experiences of Discrimination
When discussing mental health, Black youth participants raised the issue of discrimination and its impact on their wellbeing. In the survey, 67 Black youth (26.9%) reported being the target of bullying online through social media, messaging or other platforms; 142 (57%) reported being the target of bullying in person.
“I have had many experiences in my previous job where my concerns around anti-Black racism were not taken seriously. My direct supervisor would often gaslight me and even filed a complaint against me when I spoke up about discrimination and bullying. That coupled with bad experiences with police, general anti-Blackness and consistent racist events in the news is often overwhelming.” – Black Youth OYC Survey Respondent
For Black youth who completed our survey, those who did not have online or in-person bullying experience tended to have significantly higher mental health ratings than those who had such experience and those who preferred not to answer the question. As we might expect, Black youth in the study who were not targeted in a hate crime or assault by a stranger also tended to have significantly higher mental health ratings than those who had such experience and those who preferred not to answer the question.
3. Barriers to Mental Healthcare Access
When discussing barriers to accessing mental healthcare, Black youth in the study described not knowing of available services, financial barriers, a lack of culturally relevant services, internal and external stigma, and a preference for support from family or friends.
“I would say there’s not a lot of resources; there are [no] resources. They’ll give you a walk-in centre maybe, the generic, oh, here is the advertising for a walk-in, but a lot of the time I find these guys don’t even know what the hell they’re doing when you get there. They don’t really care. They’re not invested, right?” – Black Youth OYC Interview Participant
When asked to agree or disagree with the question, “If I need help with my mental health, I feel comfortable reaching out and asking for support,” 109 (43.8%) youth disagreed. When asked to agree or disagree with the question, “If I need to, I can easily access mental health services,” 119 (47.8%) youth disagreed. Finally, 119 Black youth (47.8%) reported not knowing of mental health services in the community tailored to their needs.
The barriers to appropriate mental healthcare access described by the Black youth in this study demonstrate that improving their mental health support isn’t just about increasing services. Their stories demonstrate that we must build support systems that they can trust, access, and see themselves in.
4. Attitudes Towards Achieving ‘a Good Life’
Our analysis also showed that mental health ratings were significantly and positively correlated with the perceived ability to achieve ‘a good life’ in the future. In other words, the lower the participants rated the state of their mental health, the lower they perceived an ability to achieve ‘a good life’ in the future. The same was true in reverse: the higher that Black youth perceived their ability to achieve ‘a good life’ in the future, the higher they rated their mental health in the survey.
Youth described many elements of ‘a good life’, including individual, relational, and structural elements. Some youth shared individual hopes for achieving a good life, such as being happy, having a pet, keeping up physical fitness, or achieving a university degree. Other youth shared relational aspects of a good life including tending to family relationships, getting married, or being a part of a supportive community. Other youth looked to the bigger picture, wishing for a society that enabled a good life through addressing financial barriers, eliminating racism, and creating accessible pathways to mental health care.
“Having a Good Life to me means that I am well-rounded and balancing my mental, emotional and physical health. Tending to my interpersonal and familial relationships and being at one with myself.” – Black Youth OYC Survey Respondent
The ability to access a good life is an important component of overall wellbeing. The youth in this study highlighted that the good life is about more than just happiness, it includes strong relationships and progressive structural change that allow space for Black youth to be themselves, grow, pursue meaningful opportunities, and feel supported.
Application to Practice: Supporting the Mental Health and Wellbeing of Black Youth
Our investigation into the mental health of Black youth in Ontario yielded concerning results: their mental health needs were not being met, many felt they were unable to achieve ‘a good life’, and experiences of bullying and discrimination were far too common. While our study shows that many Black youth in Ontario are struggling with their mental health, especially since COVID-19, it also highlights what meaningful support can look like.
Many of the youth shared how they weren’t aware of programs that might be designed specifically for their needs. Youth made it clear that community-based, culturally relevant programs and supportive friends and family do make a difference, and they want to be able to access them. Mental healthcare services that enable youth to show up as their full selves are powerful models for care.
Our findings point to the need for a shift in how Black youth’s mental health is supported in Ontario to one that recognizes intersecting challenges and provides wraparound supports. Rather than focusing on mental illness, youth workers and mental health practitioners should look at what it means for Black youth to live ‘a good life’ – including having financial stability, meaningful work, supportive communities, belonging, and joy.
The current siloed model of care and short-term services inhibit the coordinated health care that Black youth need and deserve. Programs led by Black leaders in mental health have done the important work of combatting anti-Black racism, designing culturally responsive services, and building meaningful relationships with Black youth that have a positive impact on their lives. These programs must be adequately funded and supported to meet the overwhelming need of Black youth in this province.
The insights gained from the Ontario Youth Sector Compass study on Black youth’s perceptions of mental health and mental health care are fundamental for enhancing supportive services in this province.
Acknowledgements:
This article references the work of YouthREX’s Ontario Youth Sector Compass research team, including Adrienne Young, Rahma Siad-Togane, Sinthu Srikanthan, Kuir ë Garang, Cyril Cromwell, Carol Wade, Yunliang Meng, and Uzo Anucha. Additional details from their analyses can be found in future academic journal articles.
