Resources Around Me search tips
Are you seeking help researching mental health and well-being supports on Kids Help Phone (KHP)’s Resources Around Me tool? For ideas on how to maximize your experience with our Community Resource Database and interactive map, you can browse the search tips on the page below.
How can I search for resources?
Try the search by keyword function
- Tap the Select an access point dropdown to choose how you’d like to access a resource. The options are “in person,” “virtually or by phone” and “apps or digital resources.”
- Tap to type a keyword(s) (search term) and write in your own words to describe the support you’re seeking. Some search term examples include:
- grief and loss counselling
- eating disorders
- legal aid
- newcomer services
- pre-job guidance
- thoughts of suicide
- vaping
- wellness programs
- youth shelters
- Tap to enter a location. You can search by city, postal code, landmark or address. Once you start typing a location, dropdown suggestions will appear, and you can tap to select the option that best matches the place you’re searching for.
- Tap on the search button with the icon of a magnifying glass symbol to explore a list of resources that best match the information you entered.
To help you get the most out of your search, you can try to use specific language and experiment with different ways of expressing what you’re seeking. Here are some other things you can try to optimize your keyword(s):
- try a different spelling of your keyword(s)
- try a different keyword(s)
- e.g. instead of typing “help,” try typing the form of support you’d like, such as “counselling”
- e.g. instead of typing “I need a youth shelter,” try typing just the term “youth shelter”
Try the guided search feature
- Tap the “Access Point” box to choose how you’d like to access a resource. The options are “in person,” “virtually or by phone” and “apps or digital resources.”
- If you select “in person,” enter a city, postal code or address. The place you enter is used to help identify resources nearest the area you typed in. If you’re not comfortable using an exact address, you can use a landmark or just the name of a city / town to start the search.
- Tap “next question.”
- Tap to choose a category, subcategory and resource you’d like to explore.
- If you’re unsure which category, subcategory or resource to select, you can tap “start search with current options” to explore some resources.
- Each time you select an option, tap “next question” to continue to the next choice.
- Once you select a resource, you’ve answered the last question. To review a list of resources that best match your choices, tap on “submit search.”
If at any point you’d like to go back and change or review an option, you can tap on “previous question.” You can also navigate back to previous questions and review your earlier responses by using the menu at the top of the guided search and tapping on the sections you’d like to return to.
How can I navigate the results?
Resources Around Me has filters to help you narrow down your search results. Using the filter menu on the left side of the search results page, you can filter by distance, cost, language, community(s) supported, type of service provider and coverage. You can also sort the results by “nearest” or “relevance” depending on your preferences.
If there’s a resource you’d like to learn more about while scrolling through the results, you can tap on the name of the resource or on its “more information” button. Once you open a resource listing, you’ll be able to review details about it, including its contact information, eligibility requirements, application process and necessary documents.
If you can’t find what you’re searching for or would like to connect with someone at KHP about a specific resource / for wellness support, you can contact our e-mental health services.
How can I save a resource within the tool?
If you’d like to save a resource and come back to it later using Resources Around Me, you can tap on the bookmark symbol beside a resource to add it to a saved list. To review your saved resources, you can tap on the “view saved” button at the top of the filter menu. This will take you to a page showing the resources you’ve added during your search. Try to keep in mind this list of resources isn’t saved if you leave the tool or close your browser tab or window.