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National study supports scattered social housing

June 27th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on National study supports scattered social housing)

Participants with mental illness, addictions thrive after being given apartments: five-year national study

at home chez soi

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VANCOUVER—A five-year study that housed people with mental illness and drug addictions in apartments scattered throughout Vancouver found most participants stabilized their lives and coexisted peacefully with their neighbours. The findings mean residents should not be afraid of social housing mixed into neighbourhoods throughout the city, concluded the Mental Health Commission of Canada’s final report into the Vancouver At Home/Chez Soi research project.  Read the rest of this story at the Vancouver Sun…

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New supportive housing is on the way in Nanaimo

June 25th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on New supportive housing is on the way in Nanaimo)

Project involves a partnership between three nonprofits and will offer 41 individual units, 24/7 support presence

picture 556Construction will begin this summer on a supportive housing project in Nanaimo to be jointly operated by Columbian Centre, Haven Society, and Nanaimo Affordable Housing. Nanaimo Affordable Housing will build, own and maintain the building, Columbian Centre will provide 24-hour housing support workers and Haven will provide an additional layer of services on the floor of the building dedicated to women fleeing violent situations (more at Nanaimo News Bulletin).

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B.C.’s poverty reduction projects aren’t reducing poverty

June 24th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on B.C.’s poverty reduction projects aren’t reducing poverty)

Advocate Adrienne Montani says that some good work was done assisting families with crisis situations, but there is no evidence that they are no longer living in poverty

HiddenIn April 2012 the government of British Columbia announced that seven communities across the province would participate in a pilot project using poverty-reduction strategies targeting the unique needs of local families struggling to get out of poverty. Prince George, Cranbrook, Port Hardy, Surrey, New Westminster, Stewart and Kamloops were selected for the project, as they reflect a mix of metro, urban, rural and remote communities.

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Teacher wars: Where has respect for education gone?

June 17th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Teacher wars: Where has respect for education gone?)

British Columbia’s education conflicts reveal the competition for funds between public and independent schools, and the political conflict between two visions of society

picture 553In British Columbia—and also in Alberta and Ontario—teachers seem to be under relentless attack and criticism. “The profession is in a state of seemingly constant turmoil,” writes National Post columnist Kelly McParland, “faced with steady demands for change to a system that was good enough to educate today’s leaders, but is deemed unsatisfactory for their children or grandchildren.”

B.C.’s teachers are on strike—though media reports suggest that contract negotiations with government haven’t ‘broken down’ but have ‘stalled.’ Teacher Ann McLean is retiring after 20 years at Sidney’s Parkland School, but is now walking the picket line. She told the Times Colonist, “I’m very worried about the public education system. It feels like it has all been taken away gradually.” Ongoing cuts and lack of funding has led teachers to wonder whether the government believes in public education, Ann McLean says.

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Church and state: Deciding who can or should teach law

June 17th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Church and state: Deciding who can or should teach law)

What happens when religious beliefs clash with human rights in the teaching of law

picture 552British Columbia lawyers voted overwhelmingly on June 10, 2014 in favour of a motion directing the Benchers of the Law Society of BC to declare that Trinity Western University is not an approved faculty of law, with 77% voting in favour. West Coast LEAF, an organization striving to “create a society in which differences are respected and supported by the law, and by social and institutional policies and practices” has made submissions to both the BC Law Society and the Federation of Law Societies of Canada objecting to TWU’s accreditation as a law school. The group is “very pleased that such a clear majority of the lawyers who voted have agreed that a law school that discriminates against LGBTQ students and faculty has no place in our province.”

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Island Crisis Society Speaks with People First Radio

January 8th, 2014 | Posted by pfmarchive in uncategorized - (Comments Off on Island Crisis Society Speaks with People First Radio)

Thursday January 9th and Monday January 13th on People First Radio…

samhouse

 Samaritan House Launches Campaign

Nanaimo’s Samaritan House in is operated by the Island Crisis Care Society. It has been in operation since 1989 and is badly in need of upgrades and expansion. Rezoning approval was received late in 2013 and now the ICCS is looking forward to a major building campaign to raise the funds required. On Thursday, January 9, 2014, we will be speaking with Violet Hayes, ICCS’ Executive Director and Ronell Bosman, Director of Samaritan House Emergency Shelter and of the Samaritan House Transition Units. We will be exploring both their dreams and plans for Samaritan House and the role and contribution of faith based non-profits in the delivery of mental health and addictions recovery programs.

Hear the interview here 307_January_9_2014

Also on Thursday, we heard a rebroadcast from People First Radio, first aired on December 8, 2011 about Ruth Ruth Stackhouse, award winning mental health activist.  Ruth is a proud member of the psychiatric survivor community and a long-standing social and health activist.  Her extensive community work includes organizing Mad Pride, establishing The Friendly Spike Theatre Band, working with anti-violence education, and academic research work on a project about the exploitation of mental hospital patient labour called Out From Under.  Ruth Ruth has been named this year’s recipient of the City of Toronto’s Access Award for Disability Issues, which recognizes a person or an organization whose efforts have significantly contributed to improving access for people with disabilities in Toronto.

Listen to that interview here 366_december_08_2011_sm

To see all previous People First Radio segments, visit our archives by clicking here.

Join our “people first radio” broadcast
Listen Thursdays and Mondays at noon on 101.7 FM from Nanaimo and streaming online at the CHLY website.
Listen again on demand and visit us online at the Columbian Centre website.

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