Interim Co-ordinator's Report

by Liz Thor-Larsen

This edition of the Bulletin comes to you at the end of a difficult year for the Network. Our struggle to deliver support to each other in the many different ways we do it has been hobbled by in-fighting and conflicting visions of what it means to be a "peer support worker." The mainstream psychiatric system has a vision of peer support that is elitist. It is grounded in the notion that people who need per support are not as capable as the people who deliver the support are. This may be true at certain times but this should not be the over arching philosophy of peer support

At the Vancouver / Richmond Mental Health Network, peer support is a form of mutual support. We extend our support and friendship to others in time of need and also in times of joy, inner peace and persona fulfillment. We share triumphs as well as sorrow. We try to build the type of mutual support where all parties are actively engaged in building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. This vision of peer support is unusual and difficult to maintain in today's society.

In October, our coordinator Judith Wallace decided to step down from her position in order to seek out work that she would find less stressful. There is not doubt that the role of a coordinator in a small organization such as ours is a challenge. The coordinator is at the hub of everything the organization does. The organization involves many different people with different ideas about what it means to be a facilitator, an outreach worker, a board member or an editor. He or she also has his or her own opinions that must be respected and honored. This clash of ideas can be very stressful and it is with thanks that we wish Judith all the best in her future endeavors.

For a variety of reasons, completely unrelated to the Network, I quite my studies of political science at SFU at Thanksgiving. When Judith stepped down, I offered to provide interim support to the Network. This is work I did a few years ago when long time coordinator, Helen Turbett, stepped down. The Board thankfully accepted my offer and I was very busy through November and December weaving all the ends together of a fabric that was badly torn. It was a difficult but exciting challenge. Our application to the Gaming commission for $67,000 was sent to Victoria on time and our Membership Satisfaction Survey got out, came back and the info collected sent to our funders, also by year-end. The majority of respondents, by the way, still feel that the service provided by our Society is good. The everyday work of the Network was brought back on track. All the work had of course been affected by a period of personality conflicts at the Board level. The full-time co-ordinator position was posted and the Board chose long time member, Ron Carten, to take up the reins. We all wish him the very best and know that his education from Langara as a community social service worker and former Board chair will prove very valuable to the Network.

the coming year will be full of interesting and exciting developments at the Network. We are looking to firmly establish two new groups; one for people who wish to play volleyball and badminton and another for people who wish to explore local, time honored indigenous systems of support and spirituality. If you are interested in being involved please call the Network and get Ron to put you on the group lists.

Like many survivors of the psychiatric I have found it difficult to find and keep a job. For some reason, the stress of fitting into the work place has often been difficult for me. I always resent being talked down to or having my ideas dismissed or ignored and don't know how to let it slide off me the way most people do. It is with some trepidation, therefore, that I enter again upon the task of job hunting after a period of about three years of post secondary education. School has always been a haven for me as it is one of the few places in our society were one can without fear express one's self and particularly, one's political opinions. Unfortunately, school is also very expensive and even more so since the change in government in Victoria. So, I'm off to find work where I don't have to bite my tongue too much. Wish me luck.

For those of you who wish to contribute to the next edition of the Bulletin, please forward your articles and / or images, prints and photos to Ron at the Network office. They will be considered for our spring edition.