Getting More Veterans to Share Their Stories
Telling more stories of lived experience.
In 2019 we want to continue breaking down the barriers to seeking help for Veterans and their families by:
At Veterans Connect Canada we work on reducing the stigma around suicide and mental health issues to make it easier for Veterans to seek help.
Sharing stories of lived experiences shines a light into the darkness and helps Veterans work through their problems, and helps friends and family understand what they are going through. Trust creates an environment for help seeking.
In 2018 we met with more Veterans who have been affected by suicide and mental health issues when we were invited to the Sam Sharpe breakfast on Parliament Hill. We had the opportunity to discuss the issue of Veteran suicide with the Minister of Veterans Affairs. At this same event we were able to connect with other Veterans and discuss how listening to others’ stories helped them on their journey to recovery. Learning about other Veteran’s lived experienced further emphasized the importance of our work.
We’ve learned how powerful it can be for a Veteran to share their lived experience. We helped a young Veteran named Julie Basque tell her story. We sat down with her a year later and asked her what that experience meant for her. This is what she said.