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Understand Me

Young women did not extensively discuss the relationship between economic circumstances and depression. However, we know that economic conditions such as low income or poverty can limit access to resources. A busy social life for adolescents often includes parties, movies, shopping, school trips and recreational activities such as yoga or belonging to a fitness club. If the young woman does not have the financial resources to join her peers in some of these activities, she is likely to feel excluded.

Transportation can also create a problem if the young woman has limited financial resources. If she does not live near her school or her friends, then she may find it difficult to join them in social activities if she does not have money for transportation. This may be particularly difficult in rural communities.

Adolescence is a time of great self-consciousness, and young women may not be comfortable in sharing the realities of their economic circumstances. Financial hardship may also create feelings of shame and anger within young women. It is important to create a trusting relationship in which you can help a young woman to talk about these feelings.

Support Me

Identify agencies or services in your community that that may be able to assist young women in accessing the resources and supports that they may need. For example, many YMCA or YWCA facilities offer assisted memberships.

Work with colleagues and young women to create a list of stores or services that offer good deals. Second hand or vintage stores are a great place to shop for young women with a creative eye. Go through the Yellow Pages with the young woman and see if there are any stores in her area. Consider hosting a clothing exchange day, where you and your colleagues' daughters donate clean clothes in good condition for other young women.

Educate young women about nutrition and suggest ways they can eat well, even on a limited budget. This can be difficult, more so the more limited the young woman's budget. Here are some suggestions:

• Have a list of the most affordable grocery stores in the area and information on how to get there.
• Consider raising money with colleagues so you can have transit fare and gift certificates to grocery stores available, should a young woman need them.
• Give a young woman a copy of Canada's Food Guide and brainstorm with her about the most economical way to ensure she eats from all of the major food groups. (You might want to do this with a group of young women.) Keep a running list of suggestions so that you can share these ideas with other women who have trouble affording healthy food.
• Talk with her about food banks, how they work, who the contact people are. Have phone numbers, hours of operation and addresses available for her.
• Consider asking colleagues for help about how to address the problem; for example, if you are a teacher, might there be a need for a breakfast program at your school? Maybe other teachers have run such a program at other schools and could help set one up.
• Explore whether social services, such as welfare, may be able to help.

Hear me, Understand me, Support me: What young women want you to know about depression

• Acknowledgements
• Letter to Service Providers
• About the Guide
• Challenges
• Unspoken Challenges
• Girl-Centred Health
• A Healthy Helping Relationship
• The Last Word
• A Critical Link - Referrals and Additional Resources
• In Their Words: Young Women's Stories, Advice and Wisdom