The pay-it-forward philosophy isn’t just for restaurants any more.
The idea has been co-opted by Compass Community Services to provide mental health counselling for those in Guelph who can’t afford to pay for it on their own.
“People are continually asking (how they can help) … others in the community," executive director Joanne Young Evans said of what inspired the initiative, noting walk-in counselling services are funded by the United Way. “Unfortunately, United Way, as with all philanthropic endeavours, we're all struggling to meet the financial demands of the services that we offer.”
The pay-it-forward program launched last week, in conjunction with free first sessions. Patrons and others are encouraged to make a donation to Compass which is then held onto and put toward the cost of counselling for those in need.
Sessions will be run by therapist interns who are months away from graduation, with supervision from Compass’ certified therapists, Young Evans said, noting Compass has been using therapy interns for “decades” already.
“We thought if people came for a free session, they could see the outstanding hour that they would spend receiving therapy, and then come back. But for them to come back, a lot of them just do not have the funding,” Young Evans said. “And this is a reduced-rate program.”
With the provincial government sending out $200 cheques to all residents, Young Evans suggested those funds could be used to help others in need of mental health support.
“There are people who really need that $200 and we totally understand that. What we're saying to people is, if you are in a position where this is not something that you need, if you can donate it to our organization and everything goes to the front line,” she said, noting Compass is a non-profit organization.
“(Fundraising is) so challenging these days, particularly with what's going on politically. It's not going to be, I think, a very good year for philanthropy because costs are going to go up for all of us,” the executive director continued. “We do need to remember that there are those that are also challenged with mental health. The complexity is increasing dramatically.”
Though many restaurants that offer a pay-it-forward program often post receipts or other items representing paid meals for all to see, that won’t be the case with Compass due to privacy obligations.
“As a community-focused agency, Compass is committed to providing mental health services that are accessible and affordable for those who need them most,” said Sarah Sytsma, Compass’ director of mental health services, in a news release. “We understand that cost can be a major barrier, and this program is one way we are working to support our community’s well-being.”
Asked what level of uptake she’d like to see with the program, Young Evans said it would be “absolutely amazing” if enough donations came in to help ten to 15 residents each week.
Anyone interested in making use of donated counselling time is encouraged to let Compass officials know when booking their initial, cost-free appointment.
To sponsor mental health counselling, make a donation directly to Compass Community Services or via CanadaHelps. Contributions should be noted as being for “pay it forward mental health” so they can be properly attributed.
