In 1986, a small group of human rights activists and mental health workers gathered in Vancouver to support the flood of refugees arriving from the armed conflicts in South and Central America. They founded the Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture (VAST), and this dedicated group of volunteers built what would become BC’s largest center for refugee mental health. Today, VAST works with refugees from over 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Our programs and services are offered in over a dozen languages, including Arabic, Farsi, French, Mandarin, and Spanish. We support the mental health of refugees who arrive in British Columbia with psychological trauma as a result of torture, political violence, and other forms of persecution on the basis of race, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation. 

We facilitate the healing process for 1,000 survivors of torture each year, and their families, by providing accessible and culturally appropriate individual and group counseling and therapeutic services. We also provide psycho-legal documentation and support refugee claimants through the asylum process, and are called in to work with Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada when their particular situation requires our support. Canada is a signatory to the UN’s Convention Against Torture (1985), and the Refugee Convention (1951), both of which oblige us to protect the rights of survivors of forced displacement, including the Right to Rehabilitation, and to provide safe haven to those who at risk of persecution. VAST is an active member of the International Rehabilitation Council for Victims of Torture (IRCT), the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR), and the Canadian Network for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (CNSTT). 

Founded on the conviction that ‘healing is an act of resistance’, for 35 years VAST has employed a province-leading model of trauma-informed mental health service provision. Our work has created and sustained a resilient, inclusive community amongst newcomers, and over more than half of our team identify as survivors themselves, and their voices are represented at all levels of our organization. We do not believe in working alone, and our mission supports a range of advocacy and capacity building activities to strengthen BC’s mental health sector for newcomers, and encourage understanding of our work amongst government institutions. In so doing, we relieve demand on the BC healthcare sector, especially in dense urban and more isolated rural areas of BC. VAST is more than a healthcare provider and is known throughout BC as a convener of voices with lived experience of torture and trauma, and an influential advisor to multiple levels of policy makers and practitioners. 

capacity-building

Part-Time

Hourly Rate: $25.00/hr.

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Planning

• Schedule and plan, with approval from the Executive Director, up to four outdoor activities a month
• Develop COVID-specific safety protocols
• Plan a camping trip in summer, if COVID safety allows
• Develop Surrey Outdoors program according to COVID-specific safety protocols

Collaboration

• Collaborate with VAST clinical team before and after events:
• Get referrals about identified and recommended clients
• Conduct screening for clients who are new to VAST Outdoors - ensure VAST clinical team is supportive of their participation at this time and communicates what may be needed to ensure their safe and impactful participation.
• Identify each participant’s individual situation and needs
• Share ideas for group therapeutic activities that could be facilitated while outside
• Collaborate with staff involved in VAST and the Social Media team to share information about outdoor activities and receive information about interested clients
• Discuss and debrief with the VAST clinical team and Executive Director about each activity, location, number of participants, improvements to be made, etc.

Educational

• The Outdoors Coordinator shall gain knowledge, understand, and build VAST’s trauma-informed practices related to Ecotherapy, Nature & Land-Based Therapy

Operational

Before Events 

• Follow the guidelines for the event planners and guides.
• Ensure that the events are planned according to the above-mentioned document well in advance, and that enough, clear information has been communicated with the VAST staff and the Social Media group to have them promoted
• Design group activities suitable to VAST clients and the nature of each event, while taking into account accessibility, difficulty of activities, specific individual needs, etc.
• Recruit volunteers along with the ED, to help with preparation and support
• Organize and manage an inventory system for loaning out outdoor gear 
• Incorporate MEC volunteers into the program if appropriate
• Prepare first aid kit, snacks, water, transit tickets

During Events

• Strengthen relationships with interested clients while setting and maintaining professional boundaries
• Be attentive to participants throughout the trip (whereabouts, challenges, needs)
• Provide information for the clients about services at VAST and other organizations, and refer them to the VAST support groups and individual sessions, as well as the other service providers, if needed
• Develop client leaders (Spanish speaking/Farsi speaking/Arabic speaking)

After Events

• Enter the list of the participants into Simple CTS and note individual concerns, that need to be met, referrals to be made, etc.
• Debrief and report to VAST Management

Funding

• Collaborate with the ED to contact various camp organizations (i.e. BC Camping, YMCA Camps, Camp Summit) and explore possible partnerships
• Collaborate with the ED to reach out to more potential corporate sponsors (Lulu/Arcteryx/NorthFace/HH/Mark's Work Wearhouse)
• Collaborate with the ED to contact private donors
• Collaborate with the ED to apply for MEC grants

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