Urban Native Youth Association (UNYA) was formed in 1988 to address concerns facing Indigenous youth, at a time when growing numbers of young people began leaving reserves for the city. Thirty years later, young people continue to arrive in Vancouver with few job skills, minimal training or education, and little or no knowledge of where to go for help. UNYA is meeting these needs by providing a wide range of services, resources, and opportunities that support Vancouver's Indigenous youth to excel. Today, UNYA delivers 20+ programs, with 175+ volunteers, 100 staff, and more than 300 community partners.
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Services Offered
Clinical Counsellors UNYA's clinical counsellors offer individual counselling to Indigenous youth ages 13 to 24.
Our counsellors will help you recognize and positively deal with issues affecting your mental wellbeing. This could be anything affecting the way you think, feel, or act.
The support our counsellors provide is non-judgemental, and can help you with handling stress, making decisions, and dealing with issues related to drugs, alcohol, relationships, family, friends, gender identity, sexuality, or with anything else that you're struggling with. They will take into account your own personal needs and goals, in a way that's culturally relevant to you. * Individual counselling for one-on-one support * Group counselling sessions that will help you strengthen and maintain your mental wellness * Help dealing with issues such as healthy relationships, substance use, dealing with stress, making decisions, gender identity, sexuality, and mental health * Education on mental health issues, such as depression, self-harm, anxiety, and impulse control * Information on other resources and help navigating them * Suggestions for and referrals to other programs * Incorporating and creating connections to culture
Fees and Payment
This is a registered charity.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
Special Groups: Bilingual
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono
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Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.