What will it take to make progress on addressing addiction issues and the impacts those are having on central Sechelt’s businesses and residents? That’s to be explored in a Sept. 26 discussion forum being planned by the Sechelt Downtown Business Association (SDBA) and a local non-profit group, the Pivot: Empowerment, Education and Recovery Society.
The idea for the initiative came out of a local Community Action Team meeting. Pivot’s Dana Caple and Barbara Smith told Coast Reporter in an Aug. 22 interview that SDBA executive director Theressa Logan expressed interest in their group's work on a curriculum to train “trauma recovery specialists."
Developing community-based resources
Smith said that the program is aimed at individuals with “lived experience” and recovery from substance addiction. As one of the foundations of recovery is “helping others," the training is designed to build on their skills and knowledge to prepare them to assist others in breaking addiction cycles. Those trained would also become a resource available to help first responders and the community address situations involving individuals suffering from addiction, which Caple said has become part of “anarchy in the downtown core” of Sechelt.
While work on the curriculum is nearing completion, the upcoming dialogue session will allow for greater understandings of the needs and struggles of people whose neighbourhoods are being damaged as a result of addictions to be added in. Smith says she sees an opportunity for part of the curriculum to be customized and offered locally to other groups, "such a businesses, so that people can understand the 'why' behind disruptive behaviours and the resources that exist that can help.”
The impact of having this skill-building program available throughout communities could be as effective and important as existing and widespread first aid training, in the views of the Pivot representatives. The session and other resources are being offered to the SDBA free of charge, they said.
“The SDBA feels it is important that our businesses share their experiences,” Logan wrote in an email to Coast Reporter. “We hope that the forum will help reduce the stigma for those living with addictions and mental health issues as well as provide the skills for shop owners and staff to learn how to engage in effective communication and foster constructive dialogue with those who may be presenting a challenge in their shop…It is important for everyone to feel welcome and supported in the community.”
More details to come
The location of the Sept. 26 forum and other details are to be announced shortly. Logan indicated the SDBA is still determining the level of interest in the session from member businesses. Caple said those interested can email [email protected].
Pivot received just over $70,000 in curriculum development project funding from the Canadian Red Cross. The money came through the federal government’s $400 million Community Services Recovery Fund, which was set up to support community service groups to adapt their organizations for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
