Suffering from mental health issues, Devon Hodder reached out to the NWT health care system for help.

Now he wants to help fellow teens do the same.

In January, Hodder started a group called Northern Minds with his friends Breeya Matheson and Ally Curtis. HeSA国际影视传媒檇 just spent a week in the psychiatric ward at Stanton Territorial Hospital. While heSA国际影视传媒檇 been intimidated about entering the system previously, he found it had a lot to offer him and perhaps others.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think the stigma (around mental health issues) is a big, big thing, but also another thing is a lot of people, they don't know what to do,SA国际影视传媒� said Hodder.

The groupSA国际影视传媒檚 mission is to better the lives of those in the North struggling with mental health issues through education and service.

Since it began, Northern Minds has picked up steam. It now has seven members and Hodder hopes it will continue to expand.

SA国际影视传媒淩ight now, we have our ambassador program, which is really the flagship program,SA国际影视传媒� said Hodder. SA国际影视传媒淎nd then we have support groups in development and then we have a lot of other things in the works.SA国际影视传媒�

Northern Minds connects teens over social media platforms such as Snapchat and Facebook with other teens who have struggled with mental health issues. Hodder hopes the program will provide answers to questions and help youth discover what resources they can access in the NWT.

SA国际影视传媒淭hey're just regular youth in the community who want to help people, who feel they can help people who've been through similar experiences as a lot of other people,SA国际影视传媒� said Hodder.

Northern Minds, which is volunteer-run, is now in the process of becoming a registered charity, he said.