We are a non-profit family peer support organization for parents whose children to age 25 are facing mental health challenges. We are parents who have supported our own children with these challenges – we’ve been there, we get it, and we can help.
We provide Family Peer Support for parents through our:
Parents’ Helpline for support and guidance navigating the mental health system, finding resources in your community, and for when you just need someone to talk to.
Parent Support Groups for parents to share information and learn from one another, and come together as a community.
Mobile One-on-One Support for more intensive support and guidance through particularly challenging times, in-person and in your community.
How we can help
- Understanding your child’s concerning symptoms or diagnosis
- Finding resources and support for your child and family
- Navigating services for your child at home, in the community, and at school
- Providing support and strategies for coping with life’s stressors
- Sharing skills to effectively advocate for your child and family’s needs
- Providing non-judgemental, understanding support for you as a parent
Call now to speak with a Family Peer Supporter
613.321.3211
855.775.7005
Parents who have used our services report being better able to access the services they need, better able to support their child, and better able to cope with the challenges they face. They also report feeling less anxious, stressed, and isolated.
As a mental health professional working with children, youth and families, I am grateful for Pleo and the support it provides children/youth and their families. As a parent-led organization, it fills the gap that professional mental health services do not provide. If Pleo did not exist I simply don’t know what I would recommend in its place.
All of Pleo’s services are free to join and funded by our funders, donors and sponsors
To see this month’s calendar of events, please click View Calendar
Pleo Events
If you would like to join and/or participate in any of our free events listed below, please follow the links. To view all Pleo events, click here.
Parent Support Group for parents and caregivers of children (ages 13-25) facing mental health or addiction challenges. Every Wednesday, 6:30-8pm, Virtual (Zoom)
This free weekly peer-facilitated drop-in virtual parent support group, Drop-In Virtual Parent Support Group 13-25, is for parents and caregivers of youths, teens, and young adults ages 13-25 facing mental health or addiction challenges, to find support and connection with others who understand, in a supportive, non-judgmental space. It’s held every Wednesday from 6:30pm to 8pm on Zoom and facilitated by two Pleo Family Peer Supporters, parents who each bring their own lived experience supporting a child with mental health and/or addiction challenges to the group, providing understanding and compassionate support. On the fourth Wednesday of the month, this support group is bilingual. Find support, learn from other parents’ experiences, share information and resources, and build your sense of community in a safe, confidential space. This support group helps support the parent or caregiver, helping build the parent or caregiver’s capacity to support their child facing mental health and/or addiction challenges.
Parent Support Group for parents and caregivers of children (ages 0-12) facing mental health or addiction challenges. Every 2nd and 4th Tuesday, 6:30-8pm, Virtual (Zoom)
Drop-In Virtual Parent Support Group 0-12, is a free peer-facilitated drop-in virtual parent support group for parents and caregivers of children ages 0-12 facing mental health or addiction challenges, to find support and connection with others who understand, in a supportive, non-judgmental space. It’s held every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month from 6:30pm to 8pm on Zoom and facilitated by two Pleo Family Peer Supporters, parents who each bring their own lived experience supporting a child with mental health and/or addiction challenges to the group, providing understanding and compassionate support. On the 2nd Tuesday of the month, this group is bilingual. On the 4th Tuesday of the month, this group is topic-based (click here for this month’s topic) and co-facilitated by two Pleo Family Peer Supporters, in partnership with mental health clinicians from Open Doors for Lanark Children and Youth. Learn new tools and knowledge and develop skills to help you best support your child facing mental health and/or addiction challenges, while building your own resiliency as a parent or caregiver, in a safe and confidential space.
Pleo’s Strategic Planning Survey, Survey Closes on Friday November 29th at 5pm
Have your voice heard and help shape Pleo’s future, by completing our Strategic Planning Survey.
Pleo is asking you to take an active part in designing the organization’s future by participating in our strategic planning process through an online survey.
Pleo – Parents’ Lifeline, provides peer support to parents and caregivers whose children or youth (up to age 25) are struggling with mental health and addiction challenges. Our services, including a helpline, support groups, and mobile peer support, aim to offer guidance, reduce isolation, and help families navigate mental health resources. All services are free and designed to empower parents through their journeys.
Through the strategic planning process, we intend to shed light on important issues and uncover the most promising opportunities. We are exploring perceptions about how the organization is doing, opportunities and gaps, and how Pleo can better meet the needs of its stakeholders.
The survey:
-Will take approximately 5-10 minutes.
-Is available online until Friday November 29th at 5 pm.
-Includes largely multiple-choice questions.
-Includes an open text box in the final question, for any additional feedback.
Filling in this survey is a great way for you to have your voice heard and make your ideas count. Rest assured, your privacy will be protected. Individuals cannot be identified. Thank you for taking the time to help us create our strategic plan. Your suggestions and feedback are important to us, and your input will help shape Pleo’s future.
Pleo's Strategic Planning Session (Virtual Focus Group), Wednesday November 27th from 4pm-5:30pm on Zoom
Help shape our new strategic directions and inform how they will look in action.
Pleo is in the process of creating a new Strategic Plan, and we are seeking your help. On November 27th from 4pm-5:30pm, we invite you to participate in a free virtual focus group via Zoom. It will be an open conversation, guided by a series of questions to gather your ideas and perspectives. The session will be externally facilitated by ClearlyThen, to encourage open and meaningful discussion.
Through the strategic planning process, we intend to shed light on important issues and uncover the most promising opportunities. We are exploring perceptions about how our organization is doing, as well as any opportunities and gaps, and how Pleo can better meet the needs of its stakeholders.
Your insights are critical. Your input will help shape our new strategic directions and inform how they will look in action.
We are seeking 10 participants for this virtual focus group. Each participant will receive an honorarium, for their participation. Please note that to be eligible to participate in this focus group, you must be a parent or caregiver who is currently accessing or has previously accessed Pleo’s services for yourself, your child and/or your family. Thank you for your support and understanding.
If you are interested in participating, please confirm your attendance by Friday Nov 22 2024 to Christine Richer, Program Manager at Pleo, at christine.richer@pleo.on.ca, or by clicking the button below.
Pleo's GivingTuesday 2024 Fundraiser
This GivingTuesday, give the gift of hope and support to families of suicidal youth.
Funds raised from your donations this GivingTuesday will go towards our Parents of Suicidal Youth Support Group, to help Pleo support families of suicidal youth. This free support group provides support, guidance and connection to parents and caregivers of youth struggling with suicidality (suicidal thoughts, suicidal plans, or suicidal attempts). It helps support the parent or caregiver to support their youth vulnerable to suicide and helps foster the families’ journey to recovery.
Your donation is not just a powerful gift of help, but hope.
Help make a difference in the lives of families of suicidal youth by donating to Pleo and help us be there for these families.
About GivingTuesday: GivingTuesday is an annual global generosity movement dedicated to spreading generosity and giving back. As a day of global giving, it helps encourage charitable giving to charities and non-profit organizations. This year’s GivingTuesday falls on December 3, 2024. Pleo will be taking part, as we do each year, and we invite you to join us in making an impact! Consider donating to Pleo and getting your friends, family and loved ones involved by sharing this fundraiser with them on social media. Thank you for supporting Pleo this GivingTuesday.
Follow us @pleo4families
Today is #NationalChildDay, a national day dedicated to celebrating children as active participants in their lives and in their communities. It’s also a day dedicated to celebrating children as active citizens who can contribute to decision-making in their lives and in their communities. Pleo celebrates all children, while honouring and recognizing parents, caregivers and families, for the vital role they play in helping providing love, care, and support to children and helping them to flourish and thrive.
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Aujourd’hui, c'est la #JournéeNationaledeL’Enfant, une journée consacrée à célébrer les enfants en tant que participant(e)s à part entière de leur vie et de leur communauté. C'est aussi l'occasion de reconnaître leur rôle en tant que citoyens engagés, capables de contribuer activement aux décisions qui les concernent, tant dans leur quotidien que dans leur environnement. Chez Pleo, nous célébrons chaque enfant, tout en honorant et en reconnaissant le rôle essentiel des parents, des aidant(e)s et des familles. Leur engagement à offrir amour, soins et soutien est fondamental pour permettre à chaque enfant de s’épanouir et de grandir dans un environnement bienveillant.
This GivingTuesday, give the gift of hope and support to families of suicidal youth.
Funds raised from your donations this #GivingTuesday will go towards our Parents of Suicidal Youth Support Group, to help Pleo support families of suicidal youth. This free support group provides support, guidance and connection to parents and caregivers of youth struggling with suicidality (suicidal thoughts, suicidal plans, or suicidal attempts). It helps support the parent or caregiver to support their youth vulnerable to suicide and helps foster the families’ journey to recovery.
Your donation is not just a powerful gift of help, but hope.
Help make a difference in the lives of families of suicidal youth by donating to Pleo and help us be there for these families.
💝Donate today at pleo.on.ca/support-pleo
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Ce Mardi je donne, offrez de l’espoir et du soutien aux familles touchées par la souffrance des jeunes suicidaires.
Les fonds récoltés grâce à vos dons lors de la campagne #MardiJeDonne seront entièrement reversés à notre groupe de soutien destiné aux parents de jeunes suicidaires, afin d’aider Pleo à accompagner les familles confrontées à cette réalité difficile. Notre groupe de soutien gratuit offre écoute, conseils et ressources aux parents et aidant(e)s de jeunes aux prises avec des tendances suicidaires (des pensées suicidaires, un plan pour compléter le suicide ou des tentatives de suicide). Il les aide à mieux comprendre comment soutenir leur enfant ou proche vulnérable, tout en favorisant leur rétablissement et leur bien-être.
Votre don est plus qu’un geste de soutien : c’est un acte d’espoir pour ces familles.
Aidez à faire une différence dans la vie des familles de jeunes suicidaires en faisant un don à Pleo et aidez-nous à être là pour ces familles.
💝Faites un don aujourd'hui à pleo.on.ca/fr/soutenir-pleo
Please click the link below to see our programs and support groups for this week:
pleo.on.ca/where-to-find-us/#calendar
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Veuillez cliquer sur le lien ci-dessous pour voir nos programmes et groupes de soutien pour cette semaine :
pleo.on.ca/fr/ou-nous-trouver/#calendrier
Please note: this inbox is not monitored 24/7. If you are in distress or crisis, please call: Youth and Family Crisis Line under 16 yrs (Ottawa area: 613 260 2360, Outside Ottawa: 1 877 377 7775). If you are over 16 yrs (Ottawa: 613 722 6914, Outside Ottawa: 1 866 996 0991). If you are in need of support, or just someone to talk to, call our free Parents’ Helpline open Mon-Fri 9 am-7pm EST to talk with a Family Peer Supporter, by calling us toll free at 1.855.755.7005 or local at 613.321.3211. Questions submitted by parents may be used in our Dear Pleo newsletter and all submissions are confidential and anonymous.
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from Pleo, free upcoming events, parent resources and Pleo fundraising initiatives. Occasionally, we will send appeals for donations, testimonials and surveys, to help us serve you better. We are committed to protecting your personal information and privacy, and we will not use, share, or disclose your email for any other purposes. By clicking “Subscribe,” I am giving permission for Pleo to contact me by email. I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time.
Where to find Pleo in your community
We are here to help, in communities across Eastern Ontario. Click the link below to find your local Pleo Parent Support Group, or to find a Pleo Family Peer Supporter available at your community mental health agency.
