Written by Jennifer Law
From the food on our plates to the opportunities we are given, it is extremely easy to take things for granted. Often, we forget what it means to be privileged and the extent of it that we are. In regards to mental health, although resources may seem out of reach for students, there is in reality, an abundance of programs and people willing to help. However, for those struggling to meet basic needs, it’s a slightly different story.
The stigma surrounding homelessness continues to exist. Homeless and impoverished people are the ones who need the help the most, but social stigmas cause them to remain in that state. Increasingly, programs to aid homelessness and mental health specifically are being established. One example is Coast Mental Health, a non-profit focused on the support, advocacy, and recovery of those with a mental illness. They have several programs, including housing support, employment and education, and two physical ‘hubs’: the clubhouse and the resource centre.
Located on 1225 Seymour St, the resource centre provides meals, access to laundry and showers, and a low-cost canteen to over 500 active members. Moreover, it focuses on building relationships, community, and is home to several programs. Some of these include a Peer Support Program, which “taps into clients’ lived-experience of mental illness and trains them to use their firsthand understanding of the challenges of recovery to support other clients”; a Trust Program, which deals with money; and a Street Outreach Team, which consists of four full-time workers who canvas the streets six days a week. While visiting the centre, it was apparent that many of its members benefit greatly from the resources provided by Coast Mental Health. The volunteers, who uphold the running of many programs, were welcoming and evidently passionate about their work and the people they helped.
One program that we were specifically interested in was the Art Room. This is a place where clients can discover their creative potential and work on pieces with supplies provided. Every person has a designated locker and is free to come whenever the art room is open. The art room even has special white lights which allow the artists to see their art in neutral lighting. While talking to some members who used the art room and Coast Resource Centre, they expressed that it had helped them get back into art or even start practicing art. To them, art was not only a way expression but a way of coping. They also said that apart from the art aspect, Coast brought people together and allowed those who had similar experiences to connect. Coast is unique in that it is one of the few organizations helping to foster both community and creativity.
We were able to talk to several artists about their work. One enjoyed working with several mediums, including clay and acrylic paint. He expressed that he chooses not to make a living off of his art, as it is extremely important to him. When asked what his favourite piece was, he responded with his pieces in writing.
Another artist we spoke to did sell his artwork. Through Coast, he was able to make some living, although minimal, off of his pieces. Currently, he is working on a collection of street compositions in Vancouver. He explained that he takes the reference pictures of the streets he finds interesting and then paints them upside down. Before coming to Coast, he had little art experience, apart from that in high school. He described how much art meant to him, and the feeling of purpose it served. Not only did it do this, but it also aided with his experiences of being institutionalized and homeless.
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