THE GOOD PLACE
Safe Space
TeensTalk YXE is a place where teens can share openly and support each other.
By Sarah Laing
(Top) TeensTalk YXE sharing circles are designed to provide judgement-free spaces and encourage honest conversations around youth mental health. (Above) Facilitators Ashley Steeg and Stefaun Tingley. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF TEENSTALK YXE
ON THE SURFACE, A GROUP OF YOUNG PEOPLE sitting in a circle and talking might not seem like a big deal. But if it’s a sharing circle at TeensTalk YXE, that group hangout is much more than meets the eye.
“It’s super special watching these youth share [the] things they’re going through,” says Ashley Steeg, a sharing circle facilitator. “It’s a lot different than having an adult say, ‘Oh, don’t worry, it’ll get better.’ When somebody your own age who’s been in a similar place gives you that confidence and support, it’s way different.”
The Saskatoon-based organization was founded in 2022 by mother-and-daughter team Pam and Taryn Hutchings in the aftermath of Taryn’s own mental health crisis. Social worker Pam had trouble finding Taryn the support she needed, and the pair identified a lack of spaces in Saskatoon where young people — and their caregivers — could talk about their mental health struggles. It's clear that TeensTalk YXE filled a care gap in the community, and earlier this year, BGC Saskatoon (formerly The Saskatoon Boys and Girls Club) brought TeensTalk YXE under the umbrella of their own mental health initiative, Rosewater Connection.
“It’s a lot different than having an adult say, ‘Oh, don’t worry, it’ll get better.’ When somebody your own age who’s been in a similar place gives you that confidence and support, it’s way different.”
At a TeensTalk YXE group, the adults in the room are only there as facilitators, says Steeg, who is also a neighbourhood club coordinator at BGC Saskatoon. “It really creates a safe place where youth can be themselves, not face any judgment [and] build new relationships,” she says. “Usually, when people think of mental health, they assume counselling or therapy. This platform is unique.” These monthly sharing circles are their flagship program and generally combine time doing a fun activity, like playing Xbox or having a meal, with peer-to-peer group conversation.
The sharing circles are designed to be as accessible as possible — they’re announced on social media and anyone can attend, free of charge. Separate groups for caregivers are also available.
“One of the great things about these sharing circles is that you have the freedom to roll with the punches and have things unfold,” says Stefaun Tingley, another facilitator. “If people want to share, they can. If they don’t, that’s cool, too.”
Steeg jokes that she and Tingley are “just timekeepers,” making sure that nobody gets cut off, while still being mindful that parents may be waiting outside at the end of the night. Otherwise, the circles are about creating an environment that empowers young people to lean on each other to find the support they need.
“If one person shows up, it’s successful, even if they don’t share,” Steeg says. “To be able to create a safe space is success in itself.” CAA
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