One of the key priorities of Project Now is partnering with children, youth, and families who have personal experience with suicide. This is facilitated through the Youth and Family League (YaFL).
The YaFL defines personal experience with suicide as one or more of the following:
• Having thoughts of ending your life;
• Having taken action to end your life;
• Supporting a friend or family member who has had thoughts of ending their life;
• Supporting a friend of family member who has taken action to end their life; and/or,
• Losing a friend or family member who died by suicide.
Using the collective lived experience of members, the YaFL functions as a central advisory body to ensure the ideas and advice of youth and families who have personal experience with suicide inform the planning, development, and implementation of Project Now work.
The YaFL has representation at all levels of the Project Now governance structure and are equal partners and advisors in the co-design of all Project Now initiatives.
