Two mission-driven organizations are joining forces to support the mental wellness of employees and, through them, the communities they serve.
The YMCA of the National Capital Region (YMCA NCR) and Opening Minds, an initiative of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), have announced a partnership to help prevent burnout, promote psychological safety, and strengthen mental wellness in the workplace.
The collaboration first started over a year ago in response to feedback from YMCA of the National Capital Region employees identifying burnout prevention and well-being at work as a priority. Led by the YMCAโs Morgan Bello, Vice President of Strategy and Chief of Staff, and Trevor Moses, Director of Client Success at Opening Minds, the goal of this initiative is to do more to support well-being at work for Y employees, ultimately leading to stronger communities.
The partnership was shared with Opening Minds staff on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Opening Mindsโ offices in Ottawa (350 Albert St.) and launched with YMCA of the National Capital Region employees at a hybrid Town Hall on Friday, October 23, 2026.
Opening Minds brings more than a decade of experience delivering evidence-based mental health training to workplaces across Canada. As the foundation for this project, the two organizations have been analyzing YMCA of the National Capital Region employee survey results from 2023 and 2024 to set a baseline for burnout, recognition and resilience; developing a pilot to test how the e-learning program will be rolled out; identifying ways to build on the Yโs existing resource library; and envisioning a Mental Health Champion model, giving Y employees a way to lead as mental wellness Champions.
On Friday, October 23, Trevor Moses and Audrey Joyal of Opening Minds visited the YMCAโs new corporate offices at 240 Catherine Street for a hybrid Town Hall with Y employees. The presentation gave Y staff a first look at the collaborative partnership, information about what the accessible, online learning experience will look like, a look ahead to the Mental Health Champion model, and the chance to ask questions. Employees from all areas of the Y โ including Housing, Child Care, Camps, Health, Fitness, and Aquatics, Employment, Newcomer Services, and Youth Programs โ joined virtually alongside leadership in the room. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with staff thanking the Y for listening to their feedback and looking forward to actively participating in this new initiative.
As next steps, the YMCA of the National Capital Region and Opening Minds will continue to collaborate on the creation of this important learning initiative, with rollout expected over the next year. Both partners see the new program as making a lasting difference for YMCA staff, their families, and the communities they serve: psychologically safer teams help create a safer workplace and, ultimately, safer community experiences.
About the YMCA of the National Capital Region
The YMCA of the National Capital Region is a local charity serving people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, helping them grow, lead, and thrive. For nearly 160 years, the YMCA of the National Capital Region has been a trusted community partner. Each year, the Y serves tens of thousands of people through programs including health and fitness, child care, camps, youth, employment, skills development, housing, and newcomer settlement. The YMCA of the National Capital Region meets people where they are in life with the support and opportunities they need to overcome barriers and rise to their full potential.
This story was originally published by the YMCA of the National Capital Region. Read it on ymcaottawa.ca.