Before Emmanuel Amah joined HOMEBASE, he worked in long-term care, helping older adults with complex health needs. He supported them with everyday challenges, always showing kindness and respect. The work moved at a steady pace, and he built strong relationships with the people he cared for, meeting them where they were in their lives.
Today, Emmanuel brings that same people-first approach to a very different setting. At HOMEBASE, a youth hub in Moose Jaw for young people ages 12 to 25, he spends his days helping teens and young adults who are dealing with anxiety, school stress, housing problems, substance use, or questions about sexual health. No matter why they come to see him, his office is a safe place where they can find help and hope.
As the on-site registered nurse at HOMEBASE, Emmanuel plays a role that is new to Saskatchewan. Made possible through a funded partnership between Medavie Health Services West (MHSW) and the YMCA of Regina, the program is reshaping how young people in Moose Jaw access mental, physical, and addiction-related supports — earlier, closer to home, and without stigma.
Why this role matters for youth
Before the nursing role existed, HOMEBASE was already supporting young people by connecting them with doctor visits and community health resources. As relationships in the Moose Jaw community continued to grow, the team saw an opportunity to offer youth even more consistent, accessible health support throughout the week. The YMCA began exploring ways to bring additional clinical services directly into the hub, strengthening the wrap‑around care already in place. When the program was ready to take this next step, Angela Sereda, Senior Operations Manager at MHSW, stepped in to help expand the team’s vision and ensure young people could access reliable, caring support right where they are.
“We can do that,” she said.
Inspired by other Medavie care models, including NB HealthLink — which connects patients without a family doctor to real-time clinical support — Angela saw a clear opportunity. She launched a recruitment process that ultimately led to the hiring of Emmanuel.
“This collaboration is exactly what our Mobile Integrated Health program is designed to do,” Angela says. “When health services are built around trust, youth are more likely to open up, to ask for help, to come back. That’s the kind of impact that lasts.”
How integrated care is changing lives
Since joining the team in October 2025, Emmanuel has seen firsthand how integrated care can change young lives.
Working two days a week and one Saturday a month, he helps youth with both immediate health concerns and the issues that may be causing them. He completes assessments, supports youth in managing chronic conditions, promotes health literacy, and connects them with community and clinical services.
He recalls helping a young woman who injured her leg after a fall during crystal meth use. Instead of waiting in a crowded ER, she received wound care, counselling, and encouragement to help rebuild her self-esteem.
For Emmanuel, health care is more than just treatment. It’s about trust.
“Sometimes all they need is to be seen,” he says. “To know someone cares enough to ask what’s really going on, physically, emotionally, socially. That’s where healing starts.”
Creating a safe space
Outside of HOMEBASE, Moose Jaw has health services for youth, but resources are sometimes stretched as demand grows. As a result, some young people facing mental health challenges, addiction, unstable housing, or family conflict can struggle to access safe and timely care. In what Angela calls a “big, small town,” youth often avoid clinics for fear of being recognized.
“Like youth in any community, some young people are hesitant to seek sexual health supports or STI testing because they worry about being seen. Stigma, cultural norms, and limited autonomy can make this even harder,” she explains.
HOMEBASE was built to change that. Youth helped design the space, choosing everything from wall colours to furniture. The hub has a computer lab, art room, multicultural space, sports room, and board game area. If they need care, they can discreetly visit the health and wellness wing, where mental health workers, peer supports, cooking classes, and Emmanuel’s clinic are located.
“They can be hanging out with friends and then accessing services on the other side without anyone knowing,” Angela says.
The nurse behind the change
Emmanuel brings 10 years of medical experience in both Nigeria and North America. But his defining strength is empathy.
“I don’t say people are ‘suffering.’ They’re facing challenges,” he says. “Empathy helps people cope with those challenges.”
His path to medicine began after losing his grandmother to diabetes and committing to improve health care for mothers and children in Nigeria, where maternal and infant mortality rates remain among the highest in the world.
After moving to Canada 10 years ago, he worked in hospitals and health centres in Toronto, Texas, and Saskatchewan and is now studying business and information systems to build on his clinical expertise.
The part-time nature of the HOMEBASE role fits well with his studies, but what drew him most was the chance to mentor and empower youth.
“When I saw this role, I knew it was the right fit. Young people need a safe, supportive place to receive care, talk openly, and learn skills to change their lives. I wanted to be part of that.”
Building trust and connections that last
Emmanuel works closely with the HOMEBASE staff and health professionals with The NEST health centre to ensure youth receive timely, culturally responsive, youth-friendly care.
For many young people, this approach is life-changing. Teens who might have slipped through the cracks now have a place to check in, learn new skills, and make friends. A young person dealing with anxiety or depression can see both a counsellor and a nurse in the same space, without judgment or red tape.
As part of the MIH team, Emmanuel also works closely with Community Paramedics who support at-risk youth across Moose Jaw.
Community Paramedics bring young people into HOMEBASE and introduce them to Emmanuel, helping to ensure they return for follow-up appointments. Emmanuel can, in turn, refer youth back to Community Paramedics for wellness checks or support in the field.
“Community Paramedics see youth out in the community every day,” Angela explains. “When they feel safe with us, they’re much more likely to reach out when they need help.”
Angela recalls one young newcomer who had “zero trust in anybody.” After regular outreach, a community paramedic brought her to HOMEBASE. Soon, she was showing up each morning before the doors opened. Today, she has stable housing, a job, and access to health supports, which Angela believes “quite literally saved her life.”
“These are the wins,” she says. “This is the impact mobile services have when we go to people instead of expecting them to come to us.”
A new model for youth health and hope
The Moose Jaw Integrated youth hub is part of a broader network of programs led by Medavie Health Services West that bring health care into communities. These programs focus on making care accessible, personal, and close to home. They include:
- Saskatoon Tribal Council (STC) Tribal Health Bus
- Emergency Communication Nurse System
- Mobile withdrawal management treatment spaces
Angela, who led one of Canada’s first home-based withdrawal management programs, takes immense pride in initiatives like HOMEBASE that take a whole-person approach to health, addressing not only mental health and addiction but the pain beneath.
“Out of 33 years in health care, this is the most meaningful work I’ve ever done.”
“Everyone has a story. When we sit with people, listen with empathy, and meet them where they are, that’s where real change happens.”
Angela began her career as a paramedic and still spends time on the front lines. During ride-alongs, she hears patient stories firsthand and advocates for them when she meets with funding partners and decision-makers.
With leaders like Angela, strong community partnerships, and dedicated professionals like Emmanuel Amah, Moose Jaw’s youth hub is becoming a model of compassionate, integrated care, where young people can belong, be seen, and start again.
