SHARE is about to celebrate its 40th anniversary. (Rob Mahon/paNOW Staff)

By Rob Mahon

SHARE Turns 40

Busy summer ahead for SHARE with 40th anniversary approaching

May 16, 2023 | 5:00 PM

It’s a big anniversary for Self Help And Recreation Education (SHARE) in Prince Albert coming up. As they prepare to turn 40 years old, however, the work they do is still keeping them extremely busy.

Working with adults dealing with mental illnesses and providing vocational, recreational, and residential programs, SHARE has a long list of clients, and many more who are trying to join the program. Like so many other community groups, they have more people looking for their services than spots available.

“We have a very high demand for actual clients trying to get into our program,” said Robin Knudsen, executive director of SHARE. “We have a waiting list, but unfortunately due to funding and so on, we can only take so many.”

According to Knudsen, SHARE is not only the only organization of its kind in Prince Albert, helping clients from across the North, but there are no other organizations quite like it in the province. This has meant even more demand for their services, especially at a time after COVID-19 where mental health has been very much in the spotlight.

“During COVID, we tried to stay open as much as possible to keep our guys busy and give them something to do,” Knudsen said. “Our biggest challenge is always funding. We’re having trouble every year. We’ve applied to every grant we can think of.”

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Dealing with mental health issues ranging from anxiety to depression to schizophrenia, SHARE’s goal is to help people get better and improve, treating mental health illnesses like any other in the belief that it can improve with treatment. To that end, you might see SHARE vans out around Prince Albert’s downtown in the mornings.

“We have contracts with the city, with various organizations, other community groups,” Knudsen said. “What we do for the city is we do a cleanup every day along Central Avenue and First Avenue East and First Avenue West.”

According to Knudsen, they’ve been using that program for over 15 years now, meaning it’s a longstanding part of their history. With SHARE itself turning 40, they’re preparing for a celebration in the fall.

“We’re very excited,” Knudsen said. “40 years, we must be doing something right here in PA.”

Knudsen added they also do a lot of lawn cutting and care for others, so they always seem to be very busy. He also said the biggest need for people dealing with mental health concerns is for there to be more programs like SHARE.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP