Resources in the community key to moving lives forward

It starts with coffee and a smile. Coast’s two community hubs welcome people with mental illnesses warmly. The Resource Centre in Yaletown and the Clubhouse in + ount pleasant have been serving thousands of clients since their creation; they are the largest centres of their kind in the Lower + ainland. Both are purposely located outside of the downtown Eastside as so many people with mental illnesses are desperate to leave that neighbourhood as far behind them as possible. And, both have integrated seamlessly into their communities without issues or complaints from neighbours.

“We have an open door policy to the services we offer through the Resource Centre and the Clubhouse,” said Coast Executive director darrell Burnham. “There are hundreds of people in Vancouver with severe addictions and mental illnesses who are not being served. We take them where they’re at and move forward from there. If all they want at first is a meal, that’s what we give them. Once we’ve engaged them, we can create a relationship and ask them what more we can do.”

Coast’s Resource Centre, now open 7 days per week thanks to Coast donors, is a low barrier drop- in, a place for people who are struggling with poverty and homelessness. Newcomers are connected with resources with staff assisting them in their search for housing, reviewing their medical needs, accessing psychiatric treatment, providing creative outlets with an art program, reconnecting with friends and family via computers, and helping with resumes when they are job ready.

“When the centre was open just six days a week, many members used to find Sundays very difficult, some even walking or riding the bus for hours merely to stay away from temptation in the dTES,” said Coast’s director of Community Services, Tracy Schonfeld. “The Resource Centre is a considerable safety net for them. We have the luxury of time and work with people until they are ready to connect with formal services.”

Coast’s Clubhouse started as a drop- in centre in 1972 and changed to a clubhouse model later that decade. Its members take part in running the facility and programs and can also access training and employment opportunities.

“Isolation is a concern for people with mental illness,” said Coast’s director Employment Services, Cathy Taylor. “The Clubhouse is a place where they can feel like they belong. A large part of recovery is being with other people and practicing life skills.”