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Strengthening the community of support around youth growing up with parental substance use challenges.

Starlings Community works with youth & adult peers, caregivers, and professionals to build safer support systems through peer connection, youth leadership, professional learning, and system change. We are building a future where every young person can seek out and find support without fear or shame.

Find Support

Learn with Us

How we can support you
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Training for professionals supporting youth and families

We provide trainings and consulting to professionals and teams to increase their capacity to provide stigma-aware and attachment orientated approaches that strengthens relationships and supports the wellbeing of youth.
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From a Caregiver

...your support makes me realize that I have been focussed on getting help for myself in dealing with my own grief and  (my grandson) needs support and acknowledgment as much as I do. I am dealing with my daughter in addiction living on the streets just as much as he is dealing with it. I don’t think I’ve really known how to deal with his grief. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart, and his heart too. 

  Caregiver Support Client

Learn about our Supports For Caregivers here

What Makes Us Different? 

Our programs, trainings, tools, and resources combine youth voice, neurobiology, and social context to deepen understanding of how young people experience and make meaning of the environments around them.

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What's Coming Up

  • 1:1 with Emilee
    1:1 with Emilee
    Multiple Dates
    Thu, Jun 25
    Jun 25, 2026, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
    Zoom
    1: 1 Mentorship with Emilee C available for young adults 16+ who have grown up with parental substance use challenges, or caregivers supporting a young or young adult
  • DROP IN Grief and Glue for YA/Adult Children  16+
    DROP IN Grief and Glue for YA/Adult Children  16+
    Multiple Dates
    Thu, Jun 25
    Jun 25, 2026, 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. MDT
    Virtual and In person
    Grief and Glue (virtual edition) is a FREE drop in art based program for 16+ year olds who have experienced grief related to parental substance use. NOTE: Some sessions comes with supplies so we request your address with registration and require early registration.
  • Starlings Pen Pal Peer Group
    Starlings Pen Pal Peer Group
    Multiple Dates
    Thu, Jun 25
    Starlings Office
    Jun 25, 2026, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. MDT
    Starlings Office, 606 Meredith Road NE, Calgary
    Join our pen pal night on the 4th Thursday of the Month in Calgary, AB. Learn more: agneschen@starlings.ca. Pen pal peers help pack Hope kits and write letters to youth growing up with parental substance use challenges.

In the Media

Thank You to Our Funders & Donors

We are grateful for the support of our community funders and donors, including:

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University of Calgary AVA project
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Our Community Partners

Each and Every-Harm reduction
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We have provided workshops, consulting services, resources, and training to more than 40 organizations across Canada. Will you be next to join us?

Starlings partner logo-Collective Wellness Powwow
Family Advocacy Support Centre
Community partner logo
Tri Cat Cities logo
Young Canadian Roundtables Logo
Kickstand Connect Logo
University of Calgary logo
Jack.org logo
Foundry logo
Wymbin  logo
Highbanks logo
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Moms stop the harm logo
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