Weston foundation donation to BounceBack aimed at post-COVID mental health

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Focused on “the well-being of Canadians,” the Weston Family Foundation shone a light on young people in recovery from mental health illness with its $3 million donation to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and BounceBack.

The funding, announced in October, allows this free, guided mental health self-help application to extend the national arm of its program for an additional three years. The goal is to help BounceBack better meet the specific needs of youth, Indigenous peoples, Black people, people of colour and people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. Recent studies indicate that the mental health of these groups has declined considerably since the outbreak of COVID-19.

“We are so grateful that the Weston Family Foundation is making this donation to help vulnerable Canadians,” said Margaret Eaton, national chief executive officer at CMHA. “Rooted in science, BounceBack can help people who are feeling low, stressed or anxious develop essential coping skills that will help them feel better during this difficult time and well into the future.”

Founded by Willard Garfield Weston and his wife, Reta Howard Weston, with a donation of shares from the family company, George Weston Limited, the foundation was formed in the 1950s, and has funded thousands of non-profit organizations and research institutions throughout its more than 60-year history. The family states that part of its mission has always been “the overarching goal of improving the well-being of Canadians.”

Perhaps most recognized for its relationship with long-term grantees such as the Salvation Army and the Royal Ontario Museum (with the first grants being awarded in 1965 and 1968, respectively), the foundation saw Garfield and Reta’s children become more involved in the 1970s, and a focus on environmental support was noted with donations to the Toronto Zoo for the Weston Station of Canadian Animals in 1972. The 1980s saw an expansion of environmental funding, as well as support for medical research. This decade also saw the foundation looking to support the well-being of Canada’s younger population, with educational endowments to universities and pediatric research at hospitals across the country.

In the 1990s, Chair of the Board Miriam Burnett, one of Garfield and Reta’s nine children, saw the foundation continue to expand its granting program, and Miriam remained at the helm for nearly 30 years, where its core values continued to thread back to the well-being of Canadians, funding everything from the Science Centre’s $15 million refurbishment in 2003, to 2014’s Weston Brain Institute launch with a $50-million donation towards medical research in neurodegenerative diseases of aging.

In 2020, a two-year strategic review spearheaded by president Galen G. Weston allowed the foundation to narrow in on healthy aging and healthy ecosystems, and the fund officially changed its name to the Weston Family Foundation, “to reflect the three generations of family that have led the Foundation for six decades.”

It is with this spirit of improving the lives of Canadians, and seeing the need of underserved people in the country, including youth, Indigenous peoples, Black people, people of colour and people who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+, that the foundation has funded BounceBack.

“We’re pleased to fund this essential program that expands and improves mental health services for Canadians,” said Emma Adamo, chair of the foundation. “Now more than ever, youth and underserved communities need this kind of support as our country works together to recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic.”

BounceBack is a free, guided self-help program available to anyone 15 or older living in Canada and who is eligible, and the program is based on cognitive behavioural therapy. It supports individuals who are dealing with low mood, mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety, stress or worry. No diagnosis or referral is required to use the program. Although it was launched in British Columbia by CMHA BC in 2008, the national arm of the program has been given a boost due to the Weston Family Foundation funding. BounceBack is based on materials developed by British psychiatrist Chris Williams, and CMHA BC developed the program for a Canadian context, expanding to be available across the country.

“Participants can design their own program based on the materials and topics they select,” said Denise Silverstone, national director, programs and services at Canadian Mental Health Association, National. “This includes a selection of up to 20 workbooks on a variety of topics, such as understanding worry and stress, overcoming sleep problems, changing unhelpful thinking and building relationships with family and friends.”

Workbooks are available as hard copies that can be mailed to individuals. It also includes connection with a coach for up to six sessions, who motivates participants to work through the workbook topics and to stay on track. Coaches are trained to provide cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and work with a participant by phone to help them learn the skills they need to improve their mental health.

Coaches also connect with a participant’s primary care provider to share progress or to notify them if a level of risk is detected at any point during the session, in case the participant requires care beyond the program’s reach. Finally, it includes access to a series of videos in six different languages that provide practical tips for managing mood, sleeping better, building confidence, increasing activity, problem solving and healthy living.

Silverstone adds that BounceBack is more important to mental health and wellness than ever, particularly in a post-COVID world.

“BounceBack is an evidence-based program shown to reduce depressive and anxious symptoms in participants by up to 50 per cent at program completion,” said Silverstone. “Just as COVID has been extremely isolating and a time of uncertainty and anxiety, the post-COVID world is also anxiety-provoking. Things are changing rapidly and it’s hard to keep up, which can cause anxiety and feelings of worry and stress. COVID has resulted in many people struggling with their mental health. With lockdowns and growing waitlists for mental-health services over the past two years, the need for accessible, low barrier and no-cost programming has never been higher. This is especially true for individuals who are waiting to be connected to mental health services or have begun to struggle with their mental health as a result of the pandemic.”

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