Burnaby NOW • Friday, August 10, 2012 • A29 “Special Education Feature”
residential occupancy hotels, supportive permanent housing, outreach programs, life skills services, recreation and wellness programs, food programs, health services and treatment centres. “On a weekly basis the students are going out into industry and gaining sensitivity, understanding, and experience in how to do their jobs,” says Hacksel. Shayne Williams adds that “the multiple sites is a bonus and not typical of most practicum experiences.” The objectives of the Field Experience are to provide: 1) context upon which to re!ect and discuss during the theory portion of the program; 2) experience which will allow students opportunities to become comfortable generally in the mental health and addictions "eld and speci"cally in a number of diverse placements with at least two different agencies; and "nally
– Karen O’Shannacery, Lookout
3) mentorship/networking opportunities while building relationships with the staff and clients at their practical sites. The experience also provides students with exposure to the day-today operations of the workplace, the agencies and the services provided. “One of the things about the course that is extremely unique is that there’s a good amount of time spent in experiential work,” says Karen O’Shannacery, Lookout’s Executive Director and Co-founder. “I think that’s extremely important: you can’t get that in a two- or four-week practicum.” Stenberg’s Practice Education Faculty and Student Manager, Jag Tak, says that the re!ective nature of the Field Experience affords the students with an invaluable opportunity: “The students are able to share and re!ect on their Field Experiences in a closed online forum. Through this re!ection, the students are linking knowledge to application, growing personally and professionally, and sharing a wealth of insights and experience with each other.” A cur-
Students listen attentively in class.
rent student in the Vancouver class, Lorenzo, says that, in spite of his own experiences with substance abuse, it was the weekly Field Experience that sensitized him and caused him to suspend his own assumptions and judgments about mental illness and addiction. And for someone like Preetika, another student in the Vancouver class who has little or no experience with mental health and addiction issues, the weekly "eld experience is an essential component of her education. Offered at another time, the CMHAW program could have been ideal for someone like O’Shannacery. After experiencing homelessness as a young woman, O’Shannacery co-founded Lookout in 1971 when she was
Lookout Emergency Aid Society Lookout has been providing solutions to homelessness since 1971. Photography by Ken Villeneuve
“One of the things about the course that is extremely unique is that there’s a good amount of time spent in experiential work,”
In partnership with:
After treatment, Troy realized that helping other addicts keeps him clean. After graduation, Troy wants to work as a front-line worker in the Downtown Eastside.
20 years old. Her belief in the importance is a live-in worker at our supportive recovery of providing housing and health services to house and leads the programs with passion and people facing complex challenges continues to has both empathy and experience. His people keep her going after four decades in the "eld. and communications skills are amazing.” “I still believe that nobody should have to be Graduates of Stenberg’s new Community homeless,” she says. “That has really sustained Mental Health & Addiction Worker Program me over the 40 years of work.” will be eligible to apply for jobs with the three The program acknowledges that people who partner agencies: South Fraser Community are drawn to work in mental health come from Services Society, PHS Community Services all walks of life, and may Society and Lookhave been touched by out Emergency Aid the issues in their own Society without We are looking for people who lives. Those who have having to ful"ll the direct experience with are genuinely interested in and usual requirement mental health or addicof two years of care about others; people who tions are encouraged to direct work experiapply. Candidates for the are great listeners, who are non- ence. Between program could include three agenjudgmental, individuals who are those individuals “straight out cies alone there empathetic and compassionate of completing an arts deare approximately gree at SFU; they could 100 job openbut are able to maintain prohave been a stay-at-home ings a year. While fessional boundaries and have mom for ten years; they students will learn could have lived with ad- worked on their own self-care. from industry diction themselves or exexperts in Metro – Shayne Williams, SFCSS perienced mental health Vancouver, their issues earlier in their training will equip life and now they’re at them to work in a place where they want mental health and to come back and start working in this "eld,” addictions anywhere. The curriculum does not says Hacksel. “It’s not one kind of person … take a prescriptive, “one size "ts all” approach If you’ve been thinking about these issues for to mental health and addictions, but acknowlawhile … if you’re outraged by what you see edges that what works for one individual or when you’re driving or walking around the city agency may not work for another; students are … if you’re passionate … I think you need to prepared to work for different agencies with have an acknowledgement that the status quo diverse philosophies and service models. doesn’t work and that it’s time to start thinking Between the BC Center of Excellence in about addictions and mental health differHIV/AIDS, the Burnaby Centre for Mental ently.” Health & Addictions, Insite, and many other O’Shannacery applauds the CMHAW progressive and effective programs and agenprogram for encouraging people with personal cies, B.C. is leading the way in addiction and mental health and addictions experience to mental health treatment and research in the apply for the program. “When people come world. The "rst international student in the through our shelters and our housing, a great program, Takako, has come all the way from many of them want to give back. They want to Japan to learn about addiction and harm reduccontribute somehow to helping others the same tion in Vancouver. “Taka” works as a Social way they’ve been helped,” O’Shannacery says. Worker in Japan and wants to “learn about “To give them that opportunity is exciting and mental health and addiction issues in Canada marvelous.” and take what I’ve learned and experienced Stenberg College is pleased to offer two full here back to Japan.” tuition scholarships for each CMHAW cohort. While the program is designed to give stuOne scholarship is awarded at the beginning of dents a solid foundation of knowledge, skills the program to a staff member or former client and experience to work in mental health and of SFCSS, PHS and Lookout. The second addictions, those who access the services for scholarship is presented upon graduation to the which the program is designed have as much student deemed most deserving. The inaugural to gain from Stenberg’s Community Mental SFCSS scholarship has been awarded to Linsy Health & Addictions program as its students. Fifer. SFCSS Executive Director Shayne Wil“It’s the people on the street that reliams says “this is an incredible opportunity for ally are going to bene"t the absolute most,” Linsy and will compliment what he’s already O’Shannacery says. “The staff they’re going doing and make him an innovator and leader in to be dealing with are going to come to the job the mental health and addictions "eld. I have a with a lot of the skills and the knowledge that lot of faith in what this young man can do. He they really need to help people.”
Shelters Downtown Shelter; Yukon Shelter; North Shore Shelter; The Russell; Extreme Weather Shelter Transitional Housing Sakura So; Yukon Transitional Housing; Hazelton Residence; Cliff Block; Russell Place Supportive Permanent Housing Rhoda Kaellis Residence; Jim Green Residence; Jeffrey Ross Residence & Annex; Tamura House; Cliff Block; The Russell; Walton Hotel plus partnerships LivingRoom Drop-In Activity Centre Programs: Asset Development & Financial Literacy; North Shore Culinary Training Program; Cycle Back Training Program; Home Start-up Program www.lookoutsociety.ca
PHS Community Services Society
The PHS Community Services Society was founded in 1993 with the goal of bringing some stability to Downtown Eastside residents who are homeless, without housing options, and outside of most service mandates. • New Fountain Shelter • Transitional, Permanent & Supportive Social Housing including: Portland Hotel; Bosman Hotel Community; Station Street Community Housing; Woodwards Supportive Housing Development; Pennsylvania Hotel; The Stanley New Fountain Hotel • Central Kitchen & the Food Peddlers • Insite Supervised Injection Facility • Interurban Community Art Centre & Gallery • LifeSkills & Resource Centre • Onsite Detox & Transitional Housing Program • Pigeon Park Savings Credit Union • Radio Station Café/Laundromat Job Training Program • Rainier Hotel Residential Addiction & Mental Health Treatment for Women • Sunrise Community Clinic • Washington Needle Depot & Mobile Needle Exchange
South Fraser Community Services Society
Established in 1992, SFCSS is a non-pro"t, charitable organization providing basic services and support to disadvantaged populations. . Homeless Services Bread4Life Program; Gateway Shelter; Housing Program; Outreach Program; Surrey Street Youth Services; The Front Room Health Services Djaef Mahler Food Bank; Julian House; Positive Haven; Surrey North Community Health Centre www.southfraserservices.bc.ca