Adolescence/Youth (Ages 13-18)
Manitoba recognizes that teens are capable of choosing healthy lifestyles and, through our many community partners, provides the tools to foster a healthy transition into adulthood.
Manitoba provides funding to community groups to support healthy adolescent development, including initiatives for healthy sexuality and reproductive health and positive mental health through teen-centred prevention and intervention programs.
Teen Talk Program
The Teen Talk Program offers a continuum of reproductive health, mental health, sexuality, substance use and anti-violence education to youth, in and out of school and throughout the Province. The program operates from a harm reduction perspective and utilizes an abstinence plus model. Using a youth-oriented approach, Teen Talk adheres to the belief that by providing youth with comprehensive, non-judgmental information, we enhance their ability to make positive health decisions.
Teen Clinics
Manitoba funds nine teen-centred primary health services: Elmwood Teen Clinic, managed by the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority through Access River East; St. John’s High School Teen Clinic, managed by Mount Carmel Clinic; Nor-Man Teen Clinics in Flin Flon, The Pas and Cranberry Portage managed by Nor-Man Regional Health Authority; Selkirk Teen Clinic, managed by Interlake-Eastern Regional Health Authority and Swan River Teen Clinic and Assiniboine Mobile Teen Clinics managed by Prairie Mountain Health. All funded teen clinics were developed through a community development approach and operate on the core principles of choice, confidentiality, accessibility, harm reduction and cultural responsiveness.
The goals of teen-centred health care services are to:
- ensure young people in Manitoba have access to health services that are accessible and appropriate to their needs;
- provide young people with opportunities to learn about the health issues that concern them, identify strategies for maintaining good health and access health promotion tools and resources; and
- provide young people with accurate non judgmental information, respectful care that acknowledges the diversity of cultures and values of all young people, and recognizes gender specific needs.
In 2006 through partnership with other government departments, the WRHA and community based organizations developed a Teen Clinic Services Manual and a Volunteer Manual and Training Curriculum. These manuals are intended to support organizations wanting to develop a teen centered health clinic or sexual and reproductive health volunteer services within their organization.
Teen Clinic Services Manual 
Volunteer Manual and Training Curriculum
Locations of Teen Clinics in Manitoba
In 2013 a mobile-friendly Teen Clinic website was developed. Visit www.teenclinic.ca for information on Teen Clinics, and to find Teen Clinics using the interactive map.Always phone ahead to confirm hours of operation are up to date
Teen Clinics In Winnipeg
Teen Clinics In Rural Manitoba
Teen Clinic Mental Health Toolkit
The Teen Clinic Mental Health Toolkit was developed in 2017 to support those working in Teen Clinics and other organizations who provide early intervention mental health support to youth 13+. The toolkit was developed in consultation with youth and service providers to ensure that relevant topics would be included. It provides FAQs, provider resources, take home materials for youth, health promotion tools, local resources (where applicable) and links to further web-based information and tools.
Northern Aboriginal Youth Council
Located in the northern Manitoba, Ma Mow We Tak Friendship Centre administers culturally appropriate initiatives with northern aboriginal youth to assist in reducing unintended adolescent pregnancies.
Adolescent Parent Interagency Network (APIN)
APIN is a network of agencies and professionals in Manitoba who meet monthly with the goal of ensuring high quality service to pregnant and parenting adolescents.
Your Choice for Your Reasons
In 2002 APIN and Manitoba developed a series of resources to provide youth and service providers working with youth up to date and factual information about pregnancy options.
A pamphlet outlining the three safe and legal options available for youth who become pregnant was revised in 2012. The pamphlet is not meant to take the place of decision-making counselling with a professional pregnancy counsellor but can be provided to youth as a first step in the process of dealing with an unintended pregnancy.
Your Choice for Your Reasons Pamplet
The 2009 revised service provider handbook replaces the original Your Choice for Your Reasons handbook published in 2002. This handbook is not intended to replace comprehensive decision making training for service providers regarding counselling women of any age with an unintended pregnancy.
Your Choice for Your Reasons Handbook
Think Again Media Campaign
Working with youth, this campaign developed a province-wide, teen pregnancy prevention media campaign with the message “If You Think It Can’t Happen To You - Think Again”. Hard-hitting television, radio, bus shelter and billboard ads, in-school posters and the Think Again Website were launched in 2002. The Campaign was updated in 2006 and again in 2012 now focusing on sexual decision making. Pamphlets, posters and facilitator guides for service providers can be downloaded here.
Youth Suicide Prevention
As part of the Reclaiming Hope: Youth Suicide Prevention Strategy, Manitoba is working with regional and community partners to develop tools and support youth suicide prevention initiatives for schools and alternative education settings. Learn more.
Children’s disABILITY Services
Children's disABILITY Services Provides support to families to care for children who have physical and/or mental disabilities.
Parent Child Coalitions
Parent Child Coalitions bring resources together through community organizations across the province to support parenting, improve children’s nutrition and literacy, and build capacity for helping families in their own communities.
The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Strategy
The Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Strategy helps with the prevention, intervention and care and support of individuals with FAS or alcohol related birth defects.
Healthy Schools
Healthy Schools focuses on the development of health promoting strategies for school communities using the principles of comprehensive school health and includes community-based activities, targeted provincial activities, provincial resource development, and other related activities.
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