My name is Francis. I am a 31 year old mental health consumer with bi-polar disorder. I live in a group home in Halifax. I find that group homes have taught me about confidence building, discipline, structure and life skills. However group homes aren't for everyone.

We must never give up on a person's chances to fully recover. I find that stigma is a huge barrier in everyday life and we must find ways to reduce stigma. I also feel that wait list for group homes and apartment programs has to be much, much better. If a person is ready to move into independent living they should not have to wait for such a long period of time.

www.francishope.com