Thoughts on International Overdose Awareness Day 2023

Kristal – Harm Reduction

April 23, 2023

Kristal speaks to the importance of harm reduction and how it can save lives. She discusses how accessing harm reduction leads to the creation of connections with community support. It allows community outreach members to connect with community members and get to know them, and to know to look for them if they don’t see them when they usually do.

Laura- Loss from Addiction

February 21, 2022

Nicole – Pandemic’s Effect on Safe Spaces and Mental Health Access

March 25, 2023

Nicole discusses how the pandemic affected access to safe spaces and shelters for those living rough and living with addiction.

Christian – Language around those pushed to the margins

April 23, 2023

Christian talks about how people who are pushed to the margins are not discussed as part of our community and how we need to include them. As a community how do we care for our neighbours and how do we mourn the loss of our neighbours

Christian – COVID amplified the inequities in society

April 23, 2023

Christian talks about those that have very little and how COVID amplified their difficulties

Nicole – Pandemic’s Effect on Grieving as a Community

March 25, 2023

Nicole discusses the ways the pandemic has affected the way people grieve as a community.

Joyce -The pandemics impact on drug poisonings

April 23, 2023

Joyce talks about drug poisonings during the pandemic

Kate – Miracle baby

March 11, 2023

Kate shares about her brothers daughter being born after he had died

Nicole – Using Art and Creativity to Express Grief

March 25, 2023

Nicole discusses the work she does to allow access to creative outlets such as art hives and gardening.

Kristal – Attending Memorials as a Support Worker

April 23, 2023

Kristal discusses the importance of finding ways to honour people that have been lost and how they have impacted you. She speaks to how she often chooses not to attend public memorials for those she has lost as a support worker as they are often very overwhelming. Instead, she has her own personal rituals or ways of honouring those she has lost personally including opening a window. She discusses how this practice was used when she worked in palliative care.