Stories That Heal
Unsinkable helps Canadians tell their mental health stories and create spaces where these stories become a lifeline for others.
Through sharing personal experiences, Unsinkable fosters connection, reduces isolation, and offers hope.
Unsinkable Programs
Unsinkable Youth
Youth aged 16-26 meet both in-person and in a virtual space to share their lived experience and gain inspiration to empower and promote wellness.
Community Champions
Community Champions are mental health advocates and the leaders of Unsinkable’s movement, who work towards educating, connecting, and empowering people to support their mental health.
Storytelling
We work with individuals with lived experience of mental health challenges to support them in sharing their journeys.
Unsinkable @ Work
U@W provides workplaces with practical tools to foster a culture of mental well-being through curated panels, organizational collaborations, and engaging discussions.
Events & Announcements
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Waves & Words: What Keeps Us Afloat
A Free Youth Writing Workshop
April 25 @ 2 PM EDT [11am PDT | 12pm MDT | 1pm CST]
Virtual (Zoom) and In-Person
Hosted by Unsinkable with Poet2Poet and Just Be You, this hybrid space is for youth (16–30) to come together, get creative, and talk about real life.
Waves & Words is a writing workshop where we’ll be exploring themes like nature, resilience, and what it means to stay afloat. Using guided writing prompts and creative activities to help you put thoughts into words (no pressure, no “perfect writing” needed).
It’s a no-judgement zone that keeps a chill vibe so everyone can enjoy themselves.
We’ll talk about:
What being “unsinkable” actually looks like in real life
The hard moments—and what helps us get through them
How creativity can be a way to express what’s hard to say out loud
Join in-person or online—whatever works for you. And if you don’t want to share, that’s totally okay.
In person at Oak Park Neighbourhood Centre - 2200 Sawgrass Dr, Oakville
No pressure. No expectations. Just show up as you are.
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From Individual Story to System Change: Mobilizing Mental Health Narratives Across The Spectrum
Wednesday, May 6, 2026 @ 12 PM EDT [11am PDT | 1pm MDT | 2pm CST]
Virtual (Zoom)
Unsinkable and Stepped Care Solutions come together to explore the full arc of mental health storytelling — from individual experience to institutional transformation.
Moderated by Afreina Noor, this fireside conversation brings together perspectives across the storytelling spectrum — from lived experience to systems design — to examine how narratives shape both personal healing and institutional change.
Together, we will explore:
- How individual stories shape self-understanding and community healing
- How narratives inform policy, care design, and population-level change
- The cycle of knowledge: what happens after a story is told
- How to mobilize lived experience into systems change without extraction
Why resisting a single, dominant mental health narrative matters
This conversation is part of Unsinkable@Work, where we build alliances with like-minded organizations to further Unsinkable's mission. Growing Unsinkable's thought leadership, brand awareness and credibility in the corporate and nonprofit ecosystem.
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Unsinkable Youth - The Spiral Trip Cohort
12-week virtual wellness journey for ages 16-26!
Pack light, Think heavy
June 4-August 20, 2026
The Spiral Trip is 12-week virtual workshop for youth who feel like their brain just… doesn’t know when to log off. If you replay conversations 17 times, assume the worst out of nowhere, overanalyze texts, or convince yourself something is wrong without proof—you’re not alone. Like, at all.
This space is for the overthinkers, the deep feelers, the “wait… but what if?” crew. Each week, we’ll travel through different “destinations” of overthinking—getting real about how it actually shows up in everyday life. Not just the obvious spirals, but the quieter stuff too: second-guessing yourself, comparing your life, reading into everything, and trying to figure out who you even are.
Expect honest conversations, relatable moments, and tools that actually make sense (no fake positivity here).By the end of the journey, you won’t have a silent mind—but you will have more clarity, more control, and a better way to handle the noise. Bring your overthinking brain. It’s literally the ticket in.
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Lamplight Magazine Issue 3
We’re honoured and excited to offer the third issue of Lamplight, an Unsinkable Publication for mental health care providers.
Across contributions spanning law, poetry, peer support, psychotherapy, coaching, and adjacent forms of caregiving, this issue looks into the past with care. Hindsight is 20/20—we always look back with perspective, whether critical, compassionate, or both. But Lamplight’s third issue asks us to hold this relationship with tenderness.
You will be held and seen by these stories. They’ll help us all become better caregivers (because each of us, in some way, is both a caregiver and receiver).
Together, We Are Unsinkable
Unsinkable harnesses the power of storytelling to bridge the gap between traditional mental health resources and innovative, psychological support models. The Unsinkable Storytelling, Community Champion, and Youth programs draw from diverse personal stories to help others discover they are not alone, and recovery is possible.
This year’s Unsinkable campaign, Fragments: Stories That Heal, focuses on the power of connections. By featuring one poignant line from various storytellers and connecting them to create a poem that, in its stunning simplicity, has a raw beauty and emotion. The poem illustrates in an artistic way how any part of a storyteller’s story could be the part that resonates with someone else. It shows how we collectively benefit by the simple, brave act of story sharing.
In any given year, 1 in 5 Canadians
experiences a mental health problem or
illness (CMHA).
70% of mental health challenges have their onset in childhood, yet 4 out of 5 Canadian Youth don’t get the support they need.
Research shows that digital storytelling can directly support mental health stigma reduction.
How to Get Involved
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We're always looking for passionate volunteers to support our mission in a variety of ways—whether it's spreading awareness, offering support, or helping behind the scenes. No matter where you are, you can make a difference.
Join us virtually and be part of something meaningful. Learn more here
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Applications for the 2026 cohort of Community Champions open June 16, 2025!
Join our newsletter and check the Community Champions page for more updates on recruitment for the next cohort.
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Visit our LinkedIn page for current position openings.
Contact maria@weareunsinkable.com for more information on how to become a youth facilitator.
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Ready to share your mental health story? Learn more HERE
Contact our Storytelling Manager asante@weareunsinkable.com for more information
What Others say
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Unsinkable Youth has had a significant impact by fostering a supportive environment where young people feel heard, valued, and equipped with tools to navigate their mental well-being. Through storytelling, mentorship, and peer support, the program has helped youth build connections, reduce stigma around mental health, and develop coping strategies.
Marfora, Unsinkable Youth Facilitator
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Being part of Unsinkable Youth has been so rewarding. It has given me the opportunity to connect with people and support youth in their mental health journey. My passion for spreading awareness of mental health and advocating for others has been my number one motivator since joining the program. What also motivates me to be a part of it is how much I have been learning and continue to learn along the way.
Mariela, Unsinkable Youth Wellness Group Program Coordinator
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It was not easy for me to share my story but I'm glad I was in the best space of my mind after ... When I shared it with a few people, as I was talking about support, those people were proud of me. And I think that's something I needed - people to be proud of, of me. That they appreciate what I shared is something that is going to help other people … I was proud of myself to do that.
Kanchan, Unsinkable Storyteller
FAQs
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At Unsinkable, we invite and accept all individuals. We view diversity as the key to meaningful social impact and welcome the visible and invisible qualities that make you who you are.
We are deeply committed to ensuring every person in the Unsinkable community has an equal opportunity to humanize the way people access and experience mental health support, through the power of diverse storytelling.
We strive to continually learn and improve our diversity, equity, and inclusion practices, to better serve our online, Youth, Storyteller, and Champion communities.
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While we don’t offer crisis support, our work complements traditional care and is backed by mental health experts. You are not alone. Recovery is possible.
We are also proud to support organizations who do offer crisis support:
SUICIDE CRISIS HELPLINE: Call 988
TALK SUICIDE -
Unsinkable is digital-first for ease of accessibility. We facilitate all programs—Storytelling, Community Champions, and Youth— virtually.
We offer in-person youth groups in Ontario. Learn more here.
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Thank you for considering a donation—your support makes a real difference. You can donate securely online through our CanadaHelps page.
We are a registered Canadian charity. For tax receipt purposes, our charitable registration number is: 70152 4910 RR0002
Every contribution helps us continue our work to support mental health. Thank you!