Unsilencing Stories

This episode is a graphic elicitation, which is a research method in which art produced by researchers or participants, is used to invite participants to reflect on their lived experiences, beliefs, or behaviours. Caitlin Burritt talks to Taija McLuckie about two pieces of art Caitlin created based on Taija’s interviews. Taija discusses how the art makes her feel, and what seeing the art makes her recall about those moments in her life. This episode was recorded on June 22, 2023.To see the art discussed in this graphic elicitation, please watch the interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/waYxb4UDDD4

This episode is a graphic elicitation, which is a research method in which art produced by researchers or participants, are used to invite participants to reflect on their lived experiences, beliefs, or behaviours. You’ll hear Giorgia Ricciardi interview Ryan Nielsen about two pieces of art produced by the researcher, Thomas Chanyungco, and one piece of art created by Ryan, to represent concepts inspired by Ryan ’s story. Ryan describes what the art represents to him and how the images reflect specific experiences in his life.This interview was recorded on July 20th, 2023.To see the art discussed in this graphic elicitation, please watch the interview on YouTube: //youtu.be/GGuk_FY4rg4

This episode is a graphic elicitation, which is a research method in which art produced by researchers or participants, are used to invite participants to reflect on  their lived experiences, beliefs, or behaviours. You’ll hear Caitlin Burritt and Chloe Burritt interview Daniel Snyder about three pieces of artwork Chloe created based on Daniel’s interviews. Daniel describes how each piece of art reminds him of a season of his life, and reflects on the important roles the concepts of hope and duality have played in his life. This interview was recorded on June 28th, 2023.To see the art discussed in this graphic elicitation, please watch the interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/WXw5MdCloqQ

In this episode, you’ll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Daniel Snyder for the last time. Daniel talks about a recent overdose death in the community, and the trauma peers face due to high turnover from death and burn out. He discusses which stressors have changed and which have stayed the same over the course of the interview process.This interview was recorded on December 14, 2022.

In this episode, you’ll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Daniel Snyder about exposure to death and trauma and how he copes with it. Daniel describes outlets he uses to deal with stress, the importance of taking breaks to avoid burnout, and steps he is taking to maintain boundaries between his peer work and his personal life.This episode was recorded on December 6, 2022.

In this episode, you’ll hear Daniel Snyder speak to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about the financial realities of peer work and his future career aspirations. Daniel describes the lack of permanent, full-time positions for peers, and how pursuing a career involving only peer work could impact him financially. Daniel also discusses the importance of counter-narratives about substance use, as not all drug experiences are negative.This episode was recorded on November 29, 2022.

In this episode, you’ll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Daniel Snyder about financial security and the lack of standard payment practices across agencies for peer workers. Daniel discusses how many peers do gig work rather than engaging in salaried employment, and the importance of making peers feel valued by compensating them fairly.  This episode was recorded on November 29, 2022. 

In this episode, you'll hear Daniel Snyder talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about differing viewpoints in approaching harm reduction work, the limits of policy solutions, and the importance of human connection for people who use drugs.  This episode was recorded on November 22, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Daniel Snyder talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about referring individuals to resources in his community. Daniel suggests that recovery option should be person-centred and tailored to the individual needs of the person seeking treatment. Daniel explains the importance of keeping those struggling with substance use disorder around their support systems and the importance of including them in community. This episode was recorded on November 15, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Daniel Snyder talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about different responses he encounters while doing community outreach, the presence of cynicism in peer spaces in response to the death and trauma peers face in their work and the importance of client centred treatment for those experiencing substance use disorder.  This episode was recorded on November 15, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Daniel Snyder talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about the stigma that surrounds substance use and people who use drugs. He describes the internal stigma he faced as his substance use escalated and the lengths he went to hide his substance use. Daniel also explains that many people in the trades are affected by the overdose crisis and discusses his experience maintaining a trades job throughout his substance use.  This episode was recorded on November 8, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Chueng interview Daniel Snyder, a peer harm reduction worker in Langley, BC, for the first time. Daniel introduces himself, describes his lived experience with substance use, his journey to becoming a peer and emphasizes the importance of people who use drugs sharing their stories.This episode was recorded on November 1, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Lily speak about a recent death in her personal life due to the opioid overdose epidemic with Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung. Lily discusses the shock of her loss as well as the daily impact of grief on her relationships, family, and career. This episode was recorded on December 12, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Lily about her experiences with death and trauma as a peer worker. Lily also discusses the amount of trauma and death she witnessed working in supportive housing, she reflects on the normalization of loss and death amongst peer workers and discusses her coping strategies that allow her to continue her peer work.This interview was recorded on December 6, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Lily about her personal financial stressors as a peer worker. Lily explains that the compensation for peer work remains undervalued and she often struggles to pay her rent and debt as the BC housing market soars. Lily discusses how integral family support is but also illustrates how her own internal stigma has caused her to hide a lot of her hardships from the people in her personal life. This episode was recorded on December 5, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Lily talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about the extreme barriers faced in her community regarding supportive, safe and affordable housing. Lily discusses the stigmatising effects of the lack of affordability, as well as the difficulty of navigating government systems for housing support. Lily also describes her experience working in a safe supply program and how she effectively supports individuals experiencing extreme stressors in their lives. This episode was recorded on November 21, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung discuss a main stressor with Lily: financial insecurity. Lily discusses how financial compensation for peer workers is often not enough compensation for the extensive shiftwork, stressful working conditions, and burnout that peers face daily. Lily discusses the difficult cycle peer workers can find themselves in as they experience burnout, struggles with financial security, and access to substances. Lily questions if peer work is a sustainable career. This episode was recorded on November 15, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Lily talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about the strain that Winter puts on both peer workers and the people they are supporting. Lily discusses de-escalation techniques, stressful situations at work, and the burnout that often accompanies peer work. Lucas and Esther also ask about Lily's work at workshops, where she discusses the importance of harm reduction in healthcare and the stigma that is prevalent in our health and social systems.  This episode was recorded on November 9, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Lily for the first time. Lily introduces herself and talks about her previous work in Supportive Housing and her current work at a Safer Supply clinic. She also discusses her personal experiences with substance use and the destabilizing effects of a time period where she was unhoused.  This episode was recorded on October 31, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Ben for the last time, Ben discusses an upcoming workshop he's hosting about ending internalised stigma. Lucas, Esther, and Ben review the list of stressors to see if Ben has noticed any changes in how the stressors affect him and his work since the interview process began.  This episode was recorded on December 13, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Ben about how often he personally faces death and trauma in his work. Ben explains that it is a constant presence in his work due to the toxic drug crisis and shares some specific incidents and emphasises the importance of safe supply and accessible resources.This episode was recorded on December 12, 2022

In this episode, you'll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Ben about exposure to trauma and workplace stress. Ben speaks about the ongoing traumatic experiences he faces related to the toxic drug crisis, the lack of support for vulnerable populations in his community and the challenges associated with sending people away from rural areas to receive support.  This episode was recorded on November 29, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Ben talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about his current living situation and the need for supportive and low-income housing. Ben also tells Esther about his overall confidence in his work and the prospects for future funding.  This episode was recorded on November 22, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Ben talk to Luca Akai and Esther Cheung about the positive and negative experiences he had while attending a conference in Vancouver, BC. You will also hear Ben discuss the effect local municipalities can have on peer workers efforts.  This episode was recorded on November 22, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Ben talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Chung about how housing impacts stability, how peer workers face burnout due to the combination of the toxic drug crisis and the COVID 19 pandemic. And how bureaucracy makes it difficult to come to terms with the reality of working with active drug users.This episode was recorded on November 9, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Ben talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung, about witnessing the effects of homelessness in his community, the importance of volunteers and the lack of societal support for addressing trauma in peer work, especially in relation to the overdose crisis.  This episode was recorded on November 1, 2022

In this episode, you'll hear Ben tell Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about a recently hosted workshop and its success. The workshop was focused on overcoming internalised stigma. Ben further describes how stigma is a significant issue in the community and has a detrimental impact on the drug crisis and safer supply initiatives.This episode was recorded on October 25, 2022

In this episode, you'll hear Ben talk to Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung about the challenges of referring individuals to resources in the community, including housing and safer supply. He mentions issues with timely payment for peers and limited resource options.  This episode was recorded on October 18, 2022

In this episode, you'll hear Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Ben, a peer harm reduction worker in BC for the first time, Ben introduces himself and speaks about his past and present work in harm reduction, his role as primary caregiver for his paraplegic spouse, the stigma facing drug users, and the challenges he and his partner face in accessing medical care. This episode was recorded on October 12, 2022.

In this episode you'll hear Charisma Crystal Thomas interview Juls Budau for the last time. Juls talks about consistently facing trauma in her work and how she often feels stress from this exposure manifest physically. Juls discusses the way that trauma both motivates her to continue her work and makes her feel stress and burnout. She also shares the personal story of a death that occurred when she worked in Vancouver and how it impacted her. GlossaryBCCDC: The BC Centre for Disease ControlCAI: Community Action Initiative. Carrier Sekani Family Services: a non-profit society that provides social services,  holistic health, and wellness services to Indigenous people living in Northern BC’s central region. De-crim: DecriminalizationDowntown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.EOPS: Episodic Overdose Prevention ServicesFoundry: a  network of integrated health and wellness services for young people ages 12-24 in British Columbia.INAC: Indigenous and Northern Affairs CanadaOPS: Overdose Prevention SiteQuesnel: A city located in the Cariboo Regional District of British Columbia, Canada.UNDU - Uniting Northern Drug UsersRainCity Housing: a non-profit society that provides housing and support programs for people experiencing homelessness and substance use issues, throughout BC's lower mainlandThis episode was recorded on June 5, 2023.

In this episode, you'll hear Charisma Crystal Thomas interview, Juls Budau about housing challenges and referring individuals to resources. Juls describes instances of people she knows being evicted from supportive housing and the lack of recourse for people in that position. She also discusses common misunderstandings about the concept of safer supply and how advocating for herself and her community can be challenging in her small community. Juls reflects on the difficulties faced when referring individuals to shelters, as well as barriers to getting individuals medical and mental health support. GlossaryBCCDC: The BC Centre for Disease ControlCAI: Community Action Initiative. Carrier Sekani Family Services: a non-profit society that provides social services,  holistic health, and wellness services to Indigenous people living in Northern BC’s central region. De-crim: DecriminalizationDowntown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.EOPS: Episodic Overdose Prevention ServicesFoundry: a  network of integrated health and wellness services for young people ages 12-24 in British Columbia.INAC: Indigenous and Northern Affairs CanadaOPS: Overdose Prevention SiteQuesnel: A city located in the Cariboo Regional District of British Columbia, Canada.UNDU - Uniting Northern Drug UsersRainCity Housing: a non-profit society that provides housing and support programs for people experiencing homelessness and substance use issues, throughout BC's lower mainlandThis episode was recorded on May 24, 2023.

In this episode, you'll hear Giorgia Ricciardi and Charisma Crystal Thomas interview Juls Budau about financial insecurity and receiving respect and recognition at work. Juls believes she is not paid highly enough for her peer work and explains that she, like many peers is paid through grant funding. Juls questions if peer work is a sustainable career or whether she will need to move into an adjacent field like social work. Juls also provides examples of times she's felt respected and disrespected while doing her job and describes the challenges of doing peer work in a small, conservative community. GlossaryBCCDC: The BC Centre for Disease ControlCAI: Community Action Initiative. Carrier Sekani Family Services: a non-profit society that provides social services,  holistic health, and wellness services to Indigenous people living in Northern BC’s central region. De-crim: DecriminalizationDowntown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.EOPS: Episodic Overdose Prevention ServicesFoundry: a  network of integrated health and wellness services for young people ages 12-24 in British Columbia.INAC: Indigenous and Northern Affairs CanadaOPS: Overdose Prevention SiteQuesnel: A city located in the Cariboo Regional District of British Columbia, Canada.UNDU - Uniting Northern Drug UsersRainCity Housing: a non-profit society that provides housing and support programs for people experiencing homelessness and substance use issues, throughout BC's lower mainlandThis episode was recorded on April 10, 2023

In this episode, you'll hear Thomas Chanyungco and Melissa Spiridigliozzi interview Ryan Nielson for the last time. Ryan talks about the challenges of navigating bureaucracy when referring individuals to resources, particularly with health authorities, and finding individuals housing opportunities. He also discusses the way that stigma against people who use drugs and people who are unhoused creates barriers to accessing resources.  Glossary:CAT: Community Action TeamCBT: Cognitive Behavioural TherapyChinatown (Vancouver, BC): A neighbourhood near Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.CPI Training: Crisis Prevention and de-escalation training, through the Crisis Prevention Institute.DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy.Hoot: a single inhalation of a drug.OPS: Overdose Prevention SiteOptions: Options Community Services, an non-profit organization which provides social services primarily in Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley. Purdue Pharma: A private American pharmaceutical company which manufactured pain medicines, most famously OxyContin, which the company claimed had very limited potential for addiction or abuse. Purdue is considered a major contributor to America's opioid crisis because of the company’s misleading marketing of OxyContin.Oxycontin: A highly addictive opioid pain relief drug created by Purdue Pharma.RCMP: Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceSources Program: part of the Sources Community Resource Centres, a community-based, non-profit society that offers a variety of social wellness programmes in White Rock, Surrey and other communities in BC.This episode was recorded on February 23, 2023.

In this episode, you'll hear Ryan Nielson talk to Thomas Chunyungco, Samantha Tsang and Melissa Spiridigliozzi about financial insecurity. He discusses the difficult balance between compensation, working beyond his regular hours, and exposure to trauma at work. Ryan describes the differences a recent promotion has made to his quality of life and how he previously had to support himself on minimum wage earnings and the correlation between financial insecurity and burnout.  Glossary:CAT: Community Action TeamCBT: Cognitive Behavioural TherapyChinatown (Vancouver, BC): A neighbourhood near Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.CPI Training: Crisis Prevention and de-escalation training, through the Crisis Prevention Institute.DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy.Hoot: a single inhalation of a drug.OPS: Overdose Prevention SiteOptions: Options Community Services, an non-profit organization which provides social services primarily in Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley. Purdue Pharma: A private American pharmaceutical company which manufactured pain medicines, most famously OxyContin, which the company claimed had very limited potential for addiction or abuse. Purdue is considered a major contributor to America's opioid crisis because of the company’s misleading marketing of OxyContin.Oxycontin: A highly addictive opioid pain relief drug created by Purdue Pharma.RCMP: Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceSources Program: part of the Sources Community Resource Centres, a community-based, non-profit society that offers a variety of social wellness programmes in White Rock, Surrey and other communities in BC.This episode was recorded on February 21, 2023.

In this episode, you'll hear Ryan Nielson talk to Thomas Chunyungco and Samantha Tsang about experiencing a lack of recognition and respect in previous workplaces when being upfront about his substance use. He discusses how the attitudes of his coworkers changed towards him and how he tried to compensate by working extra hard. Ryan discusses the way that stigma against people who use drugs affected his employment, his access to healthcare resources, and the feelings of social isolation he felt as a result. Glossary:CAT: Community Action TeamCBT: Cognitive Behavioural TherapyChinatown (Vancouver, BC): A neighbourhood near Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.CPI Training: Crisis Prevention and de-escalation training, through the Crisis Prevention Institute.DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy.Hoot: a single inhalation of a drug.OPS: Overdose Prevention SiteOptions: Options Community Services, an non-profit organization which provides social services primarily in Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley. Purdue Pharma: A private American pharmaceutical company which manufactured pain medicines, most famously OxyContin, which the company claimed had very limited potential for addiction or abuse. Purdue is considered a major contributor to America's opioid crisis because of the company’s misleading marketing of OxyContin.Oxycontin: A highly addictive opioid pain relief drug created by Purdue Pharma.RCMP: Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceSources Program: part of the Sources Community Resource Centres, a community-based, non-profit society that offers a variety of social wellness programmes in White Rock, Surrey and other communities in BC.This episode was recorded on February 6, 2023.

In this interview, you'll hear Ryan Nielson talk to Samantha Tsang about experiencing death and trauma as a result of the opioid crisis. Ryan shares a personal story about the passing of his best friend and the psychological and emotional effects that loss had on him. Ryan also discusses experiencing the loss of several people he underwent treatment with, the consistent exposure to death through his peer work, and the challenge of providing support while also taking care of his mental health.Glossary:CAT: Community Action TeamCBT: Cognitive Behavioural TherapyChinatown (Vancouver, BC): A neighbourhood near Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.CPI Training: Crisis Prevention and de-escalation training, through the Crisis Prevention Institute.DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy.Hoot: a single inhalation of a drug.OPS: Overdose Prevention SiteOptions: Options Community Services, an non-profit organization which provides social services primarily in Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley. Purdue Pharma: A private American pharmaceutical company which manufactured pain medicines, most famously OxyContin, which the company claimed had very limited potential for addiction or abuse. Purdue is considered a major contributor to America's opioid crisis because of the company’s misleading marketing of OxyContin.Oxycontin: A highly addictive opioid pain relief drug created by Purdue Pharma.RCMP: Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceSources Program: part of the Sources Community Resource Centres, a community-based, non-profit society that offers a variety of social wellness programmes in White Rock, Surrey and other communities in BC.This episode was recorded on January 23, 2023

In this interview, you'll hear Ryan Nielson talk to Thomas Chunyungco and Samantha Tsang about plans to bring in someone to train himself and the peers he works with about how to deal with trauma. He talks about how exposure to trauma in his past and through his work has changed him. Ryan also speaks about the challenges of working with familiar community members who are affected by the toxic opioid crisis, the importance of compassion and empathy and his work, and efforts to let new peers job shadow others with more experience before they start full time peer work.Glossary:CAT: Community Action TeamCBT: Cognitive Behavioural TherapyChinatown (Vancouver, BC): A neighbourhood near Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.CPI Training: Crisis Prevention and de-escalation training, through the Crisis Prevention Institute.DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy.Hoot: a single inhalation of a drug.OPS: Overdose Prevention SiteOptions: Options Community Services, an non-profit organization which provides social services primarily in Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley. Purdue Pharma: A private American pharmaceutical company which manufactured pain medicines, most famously OxyContin, which the company claimed had very limited potential for addiction or abuse. Purdue is considered a major contributor to America's opioid crisis because of the company’s misleading marketing of OxyContin.Oxycontin: A highly addictive opioid pain relief drug created by Purdue Pharma.RCMP: Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceSources Program: part of the Sources Community Resource Centres, a community-based, non-profit society that offers a variety of social wellness programmes in White Rock, Surrey and other communities in BC.This episode was recorded on January 23, 2023

In this episode, you'll hear Ryan Nielson talk to Samantha Tsang about how essential it is to have stable housing and how maintaining his housing allowed him to have a safe space throughout his substance use. Ryan discusses his experience of being kicked out of his home when he was 18, the stress that comes with moving or losing housing due to rent increases, as well as the stress that he experienced while regularly working 10 to 12 hour shifts to pay for his substance use.  Glossary:CAT: Community Action TeamCBT: Cognitive Behavioural TherapyChinatown (Vancouver, BC): A neighbourhood near Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.CPI Training: Crisis Prevention and de-escalation training, through the Crisis Prevention Institute.DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy.Hoot: a single inhalation of a drug.OPS: Overdose Prevention SiteOptions: Options Community Services, an non-profit organization which provides social services primarily in Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley. Purdue Pharma: A private American pharmaceutical company which manufactured pain medicines, most famously OxyContin, which the company claimed had very limited potential for addiction or abuse. Purdue is considered a major contributor to America's opioid crisis because of the company’s misleading marketing of OxyContin.Oxycontin: A highly addictive opioid pain relief drug created by Purdue Pharma.RCMP: Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceSources Program: part of the Sources Community Resource Centres, a community-based, non-profit society that offers a variety of social wellness programmes in White Rock, Surrey and other communities in BC.This episode was recorded on January 16, 2023

In this episode, you'll hear Thomas  Chunyungco and Samantha Tsang interview Ryan Nielson for the first time. Ryan introduces himself and talks about his personal experiences with substance use and how this lived experience motivates him in his peer work. He also speaks about how he was able to hide his substance use from his employers and the psychological toll substance use disorder took on him. Glossary:CAT: Community Action TeamCBT: Cognitive Behavioural TherapyChinatown (Vancouver, BC): A neighbourhood near Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.CPI Training: Crisis Prevention and de-escalation training, through the Crisis Prevention Institute.DBT: Dialectical Behavior Therapy.Hoot: a single inhalation of a drugOPS: Overdose Prevention SiteOptions: Options Community Services, an non-profit organization which provides social services primarily in Surrey, Delta, White Rock and Langley. Purdue Pharma: A private American pharmaceutical company which manufactured pain medicines, most famously OxyContin, which the company claimed had very limited potential for addiction or abuse. Purdue is considered a major contributor to America's opioid crisis because of the company’s misleading marketing of OxyContin.Oxycontin: A highly addictive opioid pain relief drug created by Purdue Pharma.RCMP: Royal Canadian Mounted PolicSources Program: part of the Sources Community Resource Centres, a community-based, non-profit society that offers a variety of social wellness programmes in White Rock, Surrey and other communities in BC.This episode was recorded on January 9, 2023.

In this episode, Caitlin Burritt interviews Taija McLuckie for the last time. Taija discusses the recent decriminalisation of drugs in BC, which exempts adults carrying 2.5 grammes or less of illicit drugs from being subject to arrest or criminal charges, and or, having the drug seized. She discusses the limitations of the three year pilot programme, from the small amount of illicit substances that can be carried, to the lack of consistent or mandatory training for law enforcement, to the negative effects decriminalisation has had in her community due to stigma and misunderstanding from the public.  Glossary:Brave COOP:  The cooperative of people responsible for creating the Brave SensorBrave Sensor: An Overdose Detection tool for public bathroomsCAT: Community Action TeamDecriminalization: A three year pilot project which began on January 31, 2023,which exempts adults carrying small amounts of illicit drugs from being subject to arrest or criminal charges.Downtown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.Mobile Response Team: An outreach team in Taija’s community, created to support frontline workers during the Opioid CrisisMoms Stop The Harm: A network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths, which advocates to end substance use related stigma, harms and death.NA: Narcotics Anonymous Naloxone: A medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.OAT: Opioid agonist therapyVIHA: Vancouver Island Health Authority (also referred to as Island Health)This episode was re-recorded on May 29, 2023

In this episode, Taija McLuckie talks to Caitlin Burritt about death and grief. Taija shares about the passing of her friend and her own approach to dealing with grief. She also speaks about the challenges that the holiday season presents for people who use drugs and how her lived experience helps her connect with the people in her community.Glossary:Brave COOP:  The cooperative of people responsible for creating the Brave SensorBrave Sensor: An Overdose Detection tool for public bathroomsCAT: Community Action TeamDecriminalization: A three year pilot project which began on January 31, 2023,which exempts adults carrying small amounts of illicit drugs from being subject to arrest or criminal charges.Downtown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.Mobile Response Team: An outreach team in Taija’s community, created to support frontline workers during the Opioid CrisisMoms Stop The Harm: A network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths, which advocates to end substance use related stigma, harms and death.NA: Narcotics Anonymous Naloxone: A medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.OAT: Opioid agonist therapyVIHA: Vancouver Island Health Authority (also referred to as Island Health)This episode was recorded on January 16, 2023.

In this episode, Taija McLuckie tells Caitlin Burritt and Ashley White about a recent interaction with an RCMP officer. She discusses the way the experience made her feel triggered and the support she received from our coworkers. Taija also explains the way policing effects access to local peer-led services and the repercussions that talking with police can have for people who use drugs. Glossary:Brave COOP:  The cooperative of people responsible for creating the Brave SensorBrave Sensor: An Overdose Detection tool for public bathroomsCAT: Community Action TeamDecriminalization: A three year pilot project which began on January 31, 2023,which exempts adults carrying small amounts of illicit drugs from being subject to arrest or criminal charges.Downtown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.Mobile Response Team: An outreach team in Taija’s community, created to support frontline workers during the Opioid CrisisMoms Stop The Harm: A network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths, which advocates to end substance use related stigma, harms and death.NA: Narcotics Anonymous Naloxone: A medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.OAT: Opioid agonist therapyVIHA: Vancouver Island Health Authority (also referred to as Island Health)This episode was recorded on December 31, 2022.

In this episode, Taija McLuckie tells Caitlin Burritt about her experience in treatment centres and problems within the treatment system. She also discusses the role that stigma plays in recovery, the importance of including peers in the recovery process, and her early work as a peer worker. Glossary:Brave COOP:  The cooperative of people responsible for creating the Brave SensorBrave Sensor: An Overdose Detection tool for public bathroomsCAT: Community Action TeamDecriminalization: A three year pilot project which began on January 31, 2023,which exempts adults carrying small amounts of illicit drugs from being subject to arrest or criminal charges.Downtown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.Mobile Response Team: An outreach team in Taija’s community, created to support frontline workers during the Opioid CrisisMoms Stop The Harm: A network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths, which advocates to end substance use related stigma, harms and death.NA: Narcotics Anonymous Naloxone: A medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.OAT: Opioid agonist therapyVIHA: Vancouver Island Health Authority (also referred to as Island Health)This episode was recorded on December 5, 2022.

In this episode, Taija Mcluckie talks with Caitlin Burritt about housing insecurity and the amount of work she has to do outside of her main job to support herself. Taija also speaks about how supportive the organisation she works for is towards peer workers and how feeling valued at work makes her feel motivated.  Glossary:Brave COOP:  The cooperative of people responsible for creating the Brave SensorBrave Sensor: An Overdose Detection tool for public bathroomsCAT: Community Action TeamDecriminalization: A three year pilot project which began on January 31, 2023,which exempts adults carrying small amounts of illicit drugs from being subject to arrest or criminal charges.Downtown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.Mobile Response Team: An outreach team in Taija’s community, created to support frontline workers during the Opioid CrisisMoms Stop The Harm: A network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths, which advocates to end substance use related stigma, harms and death.NA: Narcotics Anonymous Naloxone: A medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.OAT: Opioid agonist therapyVIHA: Vancouver Island Health Authority (also referred to as Island Health)This episode was re-recorded on June 5, 2023.

In this episode, you'll hear Tajia McLuckie tell Caitlin Burritt and Ashley White about the recent passing of a friend due to a fatal overdose. She received the news the morning she was supposed to give a presentation about harm reduction to Island Health. Taija describes how supportive her current work environment is and how important it is that peers and people who use drugs feel valued instead of stigmatised. Glossary:Brave COOP:  The cooperative of people responsible for creating the Brave SensorBrave Sensor: An Overdose Detection tool for public bathroomsCAT: Community Action TeamDecriminalization: A three year pilot project which began on January 31, 2023,which exempts adults carrying small amounts of illicit drugs from being subject to arrest or criminal charges.Downtown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.Mobile Response Team: An outreach team in Taija’s community, created to support frontline workers during the Opioid CrisisMoms Stop The Harm: A network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths, which advocates to end substance use related stigma, harms and death.NA: Narcotics Anonymous Naloxone: A medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.OAT: Opioid agonist therapyVIHA: Vancouver Island Health Authority (also referred to as Island Health)This episode was recorded on November 23, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Tajia McLuckie talk with Caitlin Burritt and Ashley White about facing exposure to death and trauma in her work. She tells the story of the first time she responded to an opioid overdose and the effect it had on her. Glossary:Brave COOP:  The cooperative of people responsible for creating the Brave SensorBrave Sensor: An Overdose Detection tool for public bathroomsCAT: Community Action TeamDecriminalization: A three year pilot project which began on January 31, 2023,which exempts adults carrying small amounts of illicit drugs from being subject to arrest or criminal charges.Downtown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.Mobile Response Team: An outreach team in Taija’s community, created to support frontline workers during the Opioid CrisisMoms Stop The Harm: A network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths, which advocates to end substance use related stigma, harms and death.NA: Narcotics Anonymous Naloxone: A medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.OAT: Opioid agonist therapyVIHA: Vancouver Island Health Authority (also referred to as Island Health)This episode was recorded on November 14, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Tajia McLuckie talk to Caitlin Burritt and Ashley White about financial insecurity and the lack of standard payment practices for peer workers. Tajia discusses the differences between how peers are compensated on projects compared to other experts in other fields. She also talks about how she feels lucky to do work she feels passionate about and how her passion for peer work helps her combat burnout.  This episode was recorded on November 7, 2022.

In this episode, you'll hear Tajia McLuckie tell Caitlin Burritt and Ashley White about a presentation she's preparing for Island Health and her work on the Brave Sensor Pilot Project, which aims to prevent overdose deaths through the use of a reverse motion sensor system installed in public washrooms. She also discusses the challenges of trying to match people to resources that meet their needs, and the way that peer feedback on projects is not always prioritised.Glossary:Brave COOP:  The cooperative of people responsible for creating the Brave SensorBrave Sensor: An Overdose Detection tool for public bathroomsCAT: Community Action TeamDecriminalization: A three year pilot project which began on January 31, 2023,which exempts adults carrying small amounts of illicit drugs from being subject to arrest or criminal charges.Downtown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.Mobile Response Team: An outreach team in Taija’s community, created to support frontline workers during the Opioid CrisisMoms Stop The Harm: A network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths, which advocates to end substance use related stigma, harms and death.NA: Narcotics Anonymous Naloxone: A medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.OAT: Opioid agonist therapyVIHA: Vancouver Island Health Authority (also referred to as Island Health)This episode was recorded on October 31, 2022. 

In this episode, you'll hear Caitlin Burritt and Ashley White interview Tajia McLuckie for the first time. Tajia introduces herself and talks about her role as a harm reduction support worker, what motivates her in her work, and the disconnect between the decisions made by policy makers and the needs of people who use drugs.Glossary:Brave COOP:  The cooperative of people responsible for creating the Brave SensorBrave Sensor: An Overdose Detection tool for public bathroomsCAT: Community Action TeamDecriminalization: A three year pilot project which began on January 31, 2023,which exempts adults carrying small amounts of illicit drugs from being subject to arrest or criminal charges.Downtown Eastside: The Downtown Eastside is a neighbourhood in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, known for having a large unhoused population, many of whom are affected by substance use disorder.Mobile Response Team: An outreach team in Taija’s community, created to support frontline workers during the Opioid CrisisMoms Stop The Harm: A network of Canadian families impacted by substance-use-related harms and deaths, which advocates to end substance use related stigma, harms and death.NA: Narcotics Anonymous Naloxone: A medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.OAT: Opioid agonist therapyVIHA: Vancouver Island Health Authority (also referred to as Island Health)This episode was recorded on October 21, 2022.

In this episode, Lucas Akai and Esther Cheung interview Lenae Silva for the final time. Lenae discusses the challenges of creating and maintaining boundaries as a peer worker, she also describes feeling like cannon fodder, because of the expectation that peers be on the frontlines of harm reduction work. Glossary:BCCDC: The BC Centre for Disease ControlCAI: Community Action InitiativeCAT: Community Action TeamCMHA: Canadian Mental Health AssociationCRA: Canada Revenue AgencyHSABC:  Homelessness Services Association of BCOAT: Opioid Agonist TherapyOPS: Overdose Prevention SitePCO: Primary Care OutreachPWD: Person with Disabilities VIHA: Vancouver Island Health AuthorityThis episode was recorded on December 22, 2022.