Winnipeg Jets Alumni & Friends, Triple P.L.A.Y. and Project 11 partner to provide mental health support for Kenora youth

Since the pandemic, Barry Reynard has witnessed youth in the Kenora area increasingly struggling with their mental health in bigger and more diverse ways. As program coordinator for Triple P.L.A.Y. Kenora, which supports underserved youth in the area in sports, recreation and cultural arts, Reynard recognized the need for additional mental health supports and resources and immediately thought of Project 11.

“The story of Rick’s life really grabbed me,” said Reynard, who heard about Project 11 through being a Winnipeg Jets fan. “I knew we needed to do something that would make a lasting impact.”

Project 11 is mental health-focused curriculum for students from kindergarten to Grade 12 that was created in honour of former Manitoba Moose and Winnipeg Jets player Rick Rypien. Since its inception in 2012, over 5,200 Manitoba educators have been trained in Project 11 and 96,000 Manitoba students have participated in the program, with Project 11 expanding across Canada and around the world.

Triple P.L.A.Y. partnered with the Winnipeg Jets Alumni & Friends in 2024 to host a community event in Kenora that highlighted Project 11, and after receiving an overwhelming response to the program and its mental wellness messages and resources, Reynard knew there would be a significant impact to Kenora youth.

“The Jets alumni were so awesome to work with and built a lot of community spirit that set a foundation for another opportunity,” said Reynard.

Reynard connected with Sue Devlin, mental health clinical supervisor with the Kenora Catholic District School Board (KCDSB) to discuss the idea of more broadly implementing Project 11 in the region. KCDSB provided Project 11 training to a small group of educators in 2023 after learning about the program from the Winnipeg Jets’ Hockey Talks initiative. The training and curriculum were so well-received, more educators reached out for training, so Devlin was thrilled at the prospect of expanding the program.

“Students are hearing from their teachers, who are really important people in their lives, that it’s okay to ask for help for mental health challenges,” said Devlin. “More students are seeking help and are excited to learn strategies to manage their stress.”

The introduction of Project 11 into KCDSB schools happened at a critical time.

“We’re seeing an increase in students struggling with managing stress and worries and we’re competing with students turning to social media for mental health advice that can be unreliable and harmful,” said Devlin. “Project 11 aligned with our mental health strategy as an upstream preventative approach that addresses concerns early on before they escalate and gives our kids tools and language to manage stress.”

Reynard and Devlin brought a small working group together representing all Kenora area school divisions and, supported by the Triple P.L.A.Y. team, created the Rally for Children’s Mental Health with the goal of raising funds for Project 11 training for teachers Kenora-wide, and the Winnipeg Jets Alumni & Friends were more than happy to lend their support.

This October, it all came to fruition with the Kenora community fully engaging in the four-day event to support the mission of bringing mental wellness programming to area youth. A sold-out gala, hosted by Winnipeg radio personality and Project 11 ambassador Ace Burpee and featuring guest speaker Craig Heisinger, Assistant GM of the Winnipeg Jets who was close with Rypien and remains highly engaged in Project 11’s mental wellness conversation, helped raise funds to train 200 teachers. Project 11 ran wellness workshops for youth and adults, including a session with mental health workers, while the Jets alumni group also made school visits and ran an on-ice session for local hockey players. A friendly hockey game between the Alumni & Friends and the Ontario Provincial Police and Treaty Three Police & Friends capped the weekend’s festivities.

Following a day of training, teachers from KCDSB, Keewatin-Patricia District School Board, and First Nation communities will be implementing Project 11 into Kenora classrooms this calendar year.

“It might be the most impactful thing we can do for our kids. Project 11 is going to continue to grow and positively impact youth in our community every year,” said Reynard. “It’s only the beginning.”