Penticton youth spent an intensive day last week talking about mental health and how it relates to them and their communities.

The March 10 event was the first of four youth summits planned for coming months in B.C. The free one-day events are led by youth, for youth to talk about mental health, break down stigma and connect people to resources in their communities.

鈥淭here has been some serious moments in the day, in the speeches and there has also been some funny ones, so we have been able to release emotions and discuss the dynamics of mental wellness,鈥� said Victoria Richie, a Penticton Secondary School student and a youth organizer for the event.

Richie said she could see her peers getting engaged during the event, which included a keynote speech from two-time Grey Cup champion Shea Emry and workshops ranging from a guided yoga practice to ways to promote a positive body image, even learning how to share their personal experiences.

鈥淲e had two youth from Summerland talk about the work they are doing 鈥� how to make other people feel comfortable and learn more about how to share their journey as well,鈥� said Richie. 鈥淭ips and tricks about how to open up to people and be confident with their stories.鈥�

Richie went on a guided hike led by Emery, aimed at helping the participants connect with nature and being comfortable with themselves.

鈥淲e reflected a lot of moods and how we were feeling. At the start of the hike, some kids were nervous about it, the weather was snowy, so they weren鈥檛 super excited about being outside,鈥� said Richie. 鈥淎s we went on and we appreciated everything, people became more positive and the way they described their mood at the end of the hike was completely different than how they did at the beginning. They seemed to be more open and engaged.鈥�

Paul Irving, project co-ordinator with the health literacy team at , which sponsored the event, said he was impressed by the courage of the students, both the youth organizers that stepped up to help put it together and those who shared their stories.

鈥淚 think the main thing we are learning is creating a safe and supportive environment for all the students attending to share tips, to share maybe some of their own experiences, connect, learn about what else they can do in their schools, what other students are doing in their schools to support mental health and wellness,鈥� said Irving.

鈥淚t showed me that we all have to support each other,鈥� said Richie. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not about one person helping themselves, it鈥檚 everyone being inclusive, being welcoming and feel strong as well.鈥�

Four summits are scheduled from April to May 鈥� Surrey, Vancouver Island and Northern B.C. 鈥� and are an initiative of B.C. Children鈥檚 Hospital, supported by the Canucks for Kids Fund. The Balancing Our Minds summit began in Vancouver, attracting more than 1,000 annually since its inception in 2014.