Hiring - Knowledge Development & Exchange Coordinator

Knowledge Development & Exchange Coordinator

About EMHC:

EMHC is a grassroots health organization run by and for 2SLGBTQ+ people in the Edmonton area. EMHC aims to create health equity for 2SLGBTQ+ communities through community and stakeholder education, community-based research, and community health advocacy. 

Note: Historically, the EMHC’s programs and services have focused specifically on queer and trans guys. Recently, however, the organization has begun to explore opportunities to expand its programs and services to better serve other members of Edmonton’s queer and trans community. These efforts include an organizational rebranding, which is ongoing. We strongly encourage all folks from within the broader 2SLGBTQ+ community, including trans, non-binary, and women/fem folks to apply. 

About the Role: 

Description: The knowledge development & exchange coordinator is an ambitious individual with a proven track record of developing and delivering accessible and appealing content that breaks through the noise and reaches target audiences to create change. If you have strong content creation and dissemination skills and a passion for 2SLGBTQ+ health, then this might be the role for you!

Term: May 2021-March 2022, with possibility of extension.

Salary: $50,000 annually, pro-rated + benefits. 

Vacation: Three weeks’ paid vacation, pro-rated.  

Type: Full-time (35 hours per week; flexible work schedule).

Location: Mix of home (especially during COVID) and in-office (downtown Edmonton).

Key responsibilities:

• Develop & disseminate community & stakeholder education and knowledge exchange products, including: presentations/workshops, website content, social media campaigns, infographics, brochures, and more.

•  Develop and execute knowledge dissemination strategies, including: paid ad campaigns, organic social media engagement, in-person knowledge dissemination (i.e. tabling), etc.

• Work collaboratively with Peer-N-Peer program Coordinator to support in community outreach and service navigation.

• Manage and update online EMHC platforms, including websites (Squarespace), and social media (Facebook, Twitter).

•  Provide content development and dissemination guidance and support to staff/projects across the organization.

•  Provide copywriting and editing support to staff/projects as needed.

•  Provide graphic design support/guidance to staff/projects as needed.

•  Support media relations (i.e. press releases, op-eds).

Our Commitment to Equity:

EMHC is committed to a workplace where the staff, board, and volunteers, reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage individuals from often underrepresented communities to apply, including but not limited to individuals who identify as: QTBIPOC, indigenous or Two-Spirit, trans and non-binary, persons with disabilities, people living with HIV.

Desired Skills, Experience, and Competencies:

Education: 

Diploma or Degree in relevant field (i.e. communications, graphic/web design, journalism, or health) is an asset.

Experience and proven competency (through provided work samples) will carry more weight than formal education; therefore, we encourage those will necessary experience/competencies to apply regardless of educational attainment.

Experience:

1-3 years of experience developing & disseminating community & stakeholder knowledge and/or communication products

Experience working with 2SLGBTQ+ communities and/or other vulnerable or marginalized populations

Desired Skills: 

Please note that candidates should be able to demonstrate a well-rounded mix of the following skills but are not expected to meet all criteria. For example, demonstrating sufficient strength/experience in half of the relevant skills may be sufficient, with opportunity for capacity development in other relevant areas during employment

•  Copy Writing/Editing

•  Graphic and/or Web Design

•  Website & Social Media Management

•  Knowledge Dissemination/Advertising

•  Research

•  Media Relations

•  Public Speaking

•  Project Coordination

•  Community Engagement

•  Stakeholder Relations

 Desired Competencies:

• Teamwork & Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration

• Conflict Resolution

• Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression

• Time Management

•  Well-organized

•  Personable

•  Ability to Work with Limited Supervision

How to Apply:

Submit a Cover Letter & CV to connect@ourhealthyeg.ca outlining why you are the best candidate for the position. 

Provide a sample or portfolio of relevant work you’ve led. Examples include: 

• websites you’d designed/managed

• graphic design products you’ve created (i.e. posters, infographics)

• educational products you’ve created (i.e. brochures, workshops, articles)

• other relevant communication or knowledge exchange products (i.e. photography, videography)

The deadline for submissions is Sunday, April 18, 2021 at 5pm MDT.

We are also hiring for the role of Research and Evaluation Coordinator (link) and Community Health Leadership Program Coordinator (link). If you wish to be considered for multiple roles, please list each role in your email and cover letter.

Only those invited for an interview will be contacted. Successful applicants will be notified by email by April 23, 2021.

Hiring - Research & Evaluation Coordinator

Research & Evaluation Coordinator

About EMHC:

EMHC is a grassroots health organization run by and for 2SLGBTQ+ people in the Edmonton area. EMHC aims to create health equity for 2SLGBTQ+ communities through community and stakeholder education, community-based research, and community health advocacy. 

Note: Historically, the EMHC’s programs and services have focused specifically on queer and trans guys. Recently, however, the organization has begun to explore opportunities to expand its programs and services to better serve other members of Edmonton’s queer and trans community. These efforts include an organizational rebranding, which is ongoing. We strongly encourage all folks from within the broader 2SLGBTQ+ community, including trans, non-binary, and women/fem folks to apply. 

About the Role: 

Description: The Research & Evaluation Coordinator is a strong researcher and communicator with a passion for community-based research and program evaluation that tangibly impact the health and wellbeing of 2SLGBTQ+ communities. If this describes you, then consider applying today!

Term: May 2021-March 2022, with possibility of extension.

Salary: $50,000 annually, pro-rated + benefits. 

Vacation: Three weeks’ paid vacation, pro-rated. 

Type: Full-time (35 hours per week; flexible work schedule).

Location: Mix of home (especially during COVID) and in-office (downtown Edmonton).

Key responsibilities:

• Lead 2SLGBTQ+ health community & stakeholder consultation design & delivery (survey, focus groups, key informant interviews)

• Consultation data analysis & report development

• Dissemination of learnings to community members and relevant stakeholders through a variety of knowledge exchange products and activities (i.e. infographics, workshops) 

• Coordination of the Investigaytors program, a 2SLGBTQ+ health leadership program aimed at building research capacity amongst community members with limited or no previous research experience

• Providing program evaluation support across organization, including: supporting evaluation tool development, ensuring quality of data collection, supporting evaluation data analysis and reporting

Our Commitment to Equity:

EMHC is committed to a workplace where the staff, board, and volunteers, reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. We strongly encourage individuals from often underrepresented communities to apply, including but not limited to individuals who identify as: QTBIPOC, indigenous or Two-Spirit, trans and non-binary, persons with disabilities, and people living with HIV.

Desired Skills, Experience, and Competencies:

Education: 

Undergraduate Degree in any area (health field is an asset) with significant research training/practical research experience desired; Graduate Degree is an asset but not expected.

Experience:

1-3 years of experience designing and executing community-based research projects

Experience teaching or delivering community-capacity building training is desired

Experience with and/or knowledge of 2SLGBTQ+ health is desired

Experience working with 2SLGBTQ+ communities and/or other vulnerable or marginalized populations

Lived experience as a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community is an asset

Desired Skills: 

Please note that candidates should be able to demonstrate a well-rounded mix of the following skills but are not expected to meet all criteria. 

• Qualitative (primary importance) and Quantitative (secondary importance) Research Skills

• Familiarity with Relevant Data Analysis Software

• Focus group and meeting facilitation skills

• Workshop Development & Delivery

• Writing and Knowledge Translation Skills

• Project Coordination

• Community Engagement

• Stakeholder Relations

Desired Competencies:

• Teamwork & Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration

•  Conflict Resolution

•  Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression

•  Time Management

•  Well-organized

•  Personable

•  Ability to Work with Limited Supervision

How to Apply:

Submit a Cover Letter & CV to connect@ourhealthyeg.ca outlining why you are the best candidate for the position. 

You may also choose to provide a sample(s) of relevant research work you’ve led, such as a research report or other knowledge exchange products (i.e. infographics). This is not a requirement but could increase the likelihood of your application being considered.

The deadline for submissions is Sunday, April 18, 2021 at 5pm MDT.

We are also hiring for the role of Knowledge Development & Exchange Coordinator (link) and Community Health Leadership Program Coordinator (link). If you wish to be considered for multiple roles, please list each role in your email and cover letter.

Only those invited for an interview will be contacted. Successful applicants will be notified by email by April 23, 2021.

Hiring: Harm Reduction Peer Outreach Worker

The EMHC is hiring a new part-time Peer Outreach Worker to support its Peer N Peer Harm Reduction Program. As individuals with lived experience of substance use, Peer Outreach Workers are an integral part of the team and ensure that community members are able to access supports and services from individuals who have firsthand knowledge of the issues they face.

Key Responsibilities Include

The successful Peer Outreach Worker will work alongside the Program Coordinator and an existing Peer Outreach Worker to support a range of activities within the Peer N Peer program, including but not limited to:

Providing online screening, referral, and support through MyBuzz.ca and dating apps/sites.

Delivering motivational interviewing counselling to community members seeking to change their substance use and sexual health practices.

Supporting the Program Coordinator in the development of community education and stakeholder capacity-building content.

Supporting in-person outreach activities, facilitating community and stakeholder education sessions, and distributing harm reduction supplies.

Supporting the Program Coordinator at meetings as required (facilitation, note-taking, etc.).

Collecting and recording evaluation data as needed.

Qualifications

Education

No education is required.

Diploma or training in Social Work, Addictions Counselling, or similar field is an asset.

Experience

Lived experience as a queer or trans person who uses/has used substances is an asset.

Experience providing frontline support/services (i.e. counselling, system navigation) to peers is desired.

Experience developing and delivering education content/workshops is desired.

Paid or volunteer experience in the fields of queer and trans health, HIV/HCV/STBBIs, and/or substance use/harm reduction is desired.

Desired Competencies

Public Speaking: The successful candidate will support the delivery of education, training, and group-work sessions with community members and healthcare/service providers. Experience in public speaking is an asset.

Community Engagement: Peer Support Workers will be required to engage meaningfully with a diverse range of community members in a variety of settings (at large community events, one-on-one by appointment, and online). Demonstrated experience effectively engaging individuals in a variety of settings, with tangible results (linking to services/care/programming) is an asset.

Web and Social Media: The project will include the design and delivery of online content through websites and social media. An understanding of producing and delivering content through different web and social media platforms is an asset.

Network & Relationship Building: The successful candidate will be required to establish and maintain relationships with key partners (academic, community-based organizations, etc.). Previous experience developing and maintaining relationships with a diverse network of stakeholders will be an asset.

Time Management: The successful candidate will enjoy a flexible work schedule. However, they must be able to manage their time so that they are able to meet an ambitious schedule of deliverables. Demonstrated ability to execute responsibilities on a tight timeline in flexible work environments with minimal supervision is an asset.

Conflict Resolution: We are all human. And where there are humans, there will be conflict. At some point throughout the program, conflict will emerge. The successful candidate should identify opportunities for conflict and address them before they emerge. When conflict does emerge, the successful candidate must demonstrate the ability to address it in an effective and sensitive matter so that all parties feel supported and are able to move forward in relationship with one another.

Equity: Some sexual and gender minority individuals also experience additional intersecting identities which can result in increased experiences of stigma and discrimination. In turn, this can result in some individuals facing additional barriers to health and wellbeing, as well as barriers to participation in programs and services. The successful candidate should have a working knowledge of the concepts of equity, intersectionality, and anti-oppression and be able to apply them in a way that benefits the experience of all program participants. Demonstrated experience applying these principles will be an asset.

Other

Reliable access to a vehicle is an asset

Compensation

$25/hr

Term

January 2020-December 2020

Hours

Avg. of 10 hours/week January-March; Avg. 7 hours/week April-December; Hours and location of work (within Edmonton) are flexible; some evening and weekend work required

How To Apply

Applicants should send a cover letter and resume to connect@peernpeer.ca by 11:59pm on Friday January 10th, addressed to the EMHC Hiring Committee.

In the email, applicants should also provide times that they are available for an interview on either Monday, January 13th or Tuesday, January 14th. Successful candidates will be provided interview times by Sunday, January 12th at noon.

The successful candidate will be asked to participate in a training day on Saturday, January 18th.

Interview with Kane Lacroix

As part of our Opioid Awareness project, in partnership with Fruit Loop and the Edmonton 2 Spirit Society, the EMHC is speaking with community members about their substance use experiences. We recognize that everyone’s substance use experience looks different. Some people use substances in a way they feel comfortable with, which doesn’t negatively impact their health. For others, their experiences of substance use are more challenging. This short interview provides a glimpse into one person’s experience: Kane.

Note: This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity

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Interviewer: Tell us a little about who you are. How would you describe your identity?

Kane: I am a gender-queer person. However, more recently, I’ve gained a better understanding of the term Two-Spirit. I never thought that I, as a Metis person, could identify as Two-Spirit. I didn’t really know much about it. But, as I learn more, I’ve come to realize that I do kind of identify that way.

But, right now, I don’t think I’m fully comfortable openly identifying as Two-Spirit yet because I don’t think I understand enough about my culture. Unfortunately, colonization and the eradication of our culture within my family has had a significant impact on this part of my identity. Some Métis families I know celebrate the culture and speak Indigenous languages but I don’t. But I’ve really been trying to understand and learn more about my culture.

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Can you tell us a little about your own experiences of substance use?

I started using cocaine at 16. It wasn’t daily at the beginning - mainly because I couldn’t afford it. But then that led to trying out other drugs like MDMA and acid. Soon, it really just became my way of life. I know that some people can handle drug use without major problems but, for me, it really affected my schooling and my connection with family and friends.

When I turned 18, I decided to stop using drugs. I didn’t use for over two years. Then, I ended up in a relationship. We would go out and party a lot. We would have friends over who’d be using drugs and then we’d do some too. We started going to afterhours clubs, which would always lead to drugs for me. So, over time, I just started getting back into more frequent use. Over the past few months, I was using almost daily again.

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When you’re using substances, what are some ways you keep yourself safe?

I know you’re probably looking for me to share some harm reduction strategies that I found useful when using. But, to be honest, when I used I didn’t ever really think about how I was or wasn’t being safe. It was just like, if it was there, I would do it. I was usually just too fucked up to even think about being safe.

And it wasn’t just my decision-making around harm reduction or safer drug use that was affected. It also affected my sex life too. When I’m high, I hook up with people I normally wouldn’t feel comfortable with or I end up in a situation where everyone is doing a bunch of drugs and people are having group sex – things that I wouldn’t be interested in if I was sober.

Sometimes, I would have unprotected sex because I just wouldn’t think about it. Or I would convince myself that it was okay because I trusted the person enough. Using substances during sex makes me want to do anything and be open to everything. I feel unstoppable. But, then, the next day, It’s awful. I’m physically exhausted but I just can’t sleep. I’m just left there with my thoughts, regretting the previous night. Like, “Why the fuck did I do that?”

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Recently, you’ve begun to access some support from the EMHC’s Peer N Peer program. Would you mind sharing a little about what this support looks like and how it’s impacted you?

Sure. I started seeing a peer worker who’s been really open and available for me whenever I need them. In our sessions, we talk about a bunch of things, like drug use and sexual health. The sessions really help me identify the things in my life that I feel negative about and decide on a course of action to deal with them. It’s also really helped me open up about my substance use. Not just in our counselling sessions but in my day-to-day life. I’ve even had the opportunity to begin speaking about my substance use with my mom.

Since accessing the Peer N Peer program, I’ve stopped using drugs again. But it’s also reassuring to know that the program provides tools and supports that would help me stay healthier and safer if I did end up using again. For example, knowing that the program offers free harm reduction supplies and information about how to use substances more safely is empowering. It means that if I start using again, I don’t have to just think, “Well, fuck it,” like I did before – without thinking about my health. Instead, I know that there are tools and supports at my disposal to help me think smarter and safer about my use.

If you need to speak to someone about your substance use – whether you want to stop using substances, use substances more safely, or change how substances impact your sex life, contact the Peer N Peer team at connect@peernpeer.ca or 587-599-7290. We offer one-on-one counselling, screening and referrals services, and access to harm reduction supplies. All of our services are free-of-charge.

The Opioid Awareness project is made possible by Alberta Health. The Peer n Peer project is made possible by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Interview with Lyn Markham

As part of our Opioid Awareness project, in partnership with Fruit Loop and the Edmonton 2 Spirit Society, the EMHC is speaking with community members about their substance use experiences. We recognize that everyone’s substance use experience looks different. Some people use substances in a way they feel comfortable with, which doesn’t negatively impact their health. For others, their experiences of substance use are more challenging. This short interview provides a glimpse into one person’s experience: Lyn.

Note: This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity

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Can you tell me a little about your substance use experience and how it’s related to your identity as a trans woman?

I was married before my problems with drinking really came to light. While I was married, I wasn’t out as trans yet. I was expressing myself – my identity – in private. Some called it cross-dressing. But to me it was deeper than that.

In my marriage, this part of my identity was hidden. I’m very close with my ex-wife now and she accepts me for who I am. But in the marriage, that’s not what she signed up for. I knew this going in to the marriage. But I thought I could suppress it. Like, “I know this isn’t really who I am. But I’m meant to get married. I’m meant to have kids.”

Living together, I couldn’t sneak off to express myself in private as much. So, that’s when the drinking really started to cause problems. I was supressing myself and using alcohol as a coping mechanism for not being able to be the true me. I had to drink a 60 (1.75L) every day to stay alive. Or at least, in my mind, that’s what I thought I had to do.

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Can you tell me about some of the challenges you’ve experienced on your substance use journey and what led you to decide it was time for change? Did you hit “rock bottom” as some people might call it?

My alcohol and substance use has taken me to a lot of dark places. I’ve definitely lost a lot by going into high debt. I’m still coming to terms with that on a daily basis. It’s a struggle but I’m learning to accept that it’s something that I did. And all I can do now is move forward and try to fix it. As for my “rock bottom,” I wouldn’t say it was any one situation or event. It was more like a lot of things coming together at once; a bunch of horrible situations that were building up to a point where I knew I couldn’t live like this anymore.

When I came out as transgender, I knew I was an alcoholic. But I couldn’t admit it. It was nearly two years from the moment I came out as trans to the moment I became sober. It really started to hit home for me when I wanted to start hormones.

I went to go see an endocrinologist. And, you see, you can’t really hide anything in your blood from them. I’m not proud of it but I cheated on my blood tests so that I could get on hormones. I was lying to everyone in my life, including my gender psychologists, my team of doctors, and myself. I would say, “I don’t drink. Maybe just socially with friends.” But that wasn’t the case. I was drinking a 60 every day.

After I started my hormones, I started to have problems which were affecting me physically. I knew it was my drinking that was causing this. It was then that I realized that I needed to give up drinking alcohol. I tried to get sober on my own, unsuccessfully. So, I asked to be part of a private counselling group. It was after starting that group that I finally got sober.

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Can you tell us a little about what that journey to being sober looked like for you?

After starting the group and speaking with a counsellor, I started making changes to my alcohol use. I didn’t quit “cold turkey.” After they realized how much I was drinking and using, they realized that I couldn’t just pull a 180 and stop drinking altogether. I had tried that before and it didn’t work. It just made me sick. So, they started me on a harm reduction program, aimed at helping me gradually reduce my alcohol use.

I went from drinking a 60 per day to drinking a 40 (1.18L). It was still a lot of alcohol but I was bringing it down slowly. I did 40 for about a week. Then it was payday, so I partied at home alone, because that’s what I would do. That brought me back to the beginning.

But I got back into it and started again with a 40 a day. Then I gradually made it down to a 26 (750ml) a day. It was then that I was like, “Yeah, I think I can do this.” By taking this harm reduction path, it helped me clear my mind long enough that I was able to realize that, for me, I needed to put myself into detox. From the day I went to Detox, July 5th, 2018, I haven’t had a single drink.

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What’s life like for you now?

My life now is awesome. I feel like I have a purpose. I like to give back and help other people who need support related to their alcohol or substance use. I’m a sponsor. I run a support group. I volunteer with LGBTQ2S+ youth. I didn’t have any support from anyone like me growing up. If I had, maybe my life would have been different. If I, by being out as a trans woman and open about my own alcohol and substance use journey can help just one person, then it’s all worth it.

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What would you like share with others reading this who might be considering similar changes in their own lives?

Be true to yourself. Love yourself. I still suffer from dysphoria and depression. Even though I’m doing better, it doesn’t necessarily go away. But I look for the positives in my life. I encourage everyone else to do that too and to practice self-love. If you don’t love yourself you can end up heading down a pretty dangerous path. And while others can help, no one else can do for you, what you can do for yourself. I believe in you. You can do it.

If you need to speak to someone about your substance use – whether you want to stop using substances, use substances more safely, or change how substances impact your sex life, contact the Peer N Peer team at connect@peernpeer.ca or 587-599-7290. We offer one-on-one counselling, screening and referrals services, and access to harm reduction supplies. All of our services are free-of-charge.

The Opioid Awareness project is made possible by Alberta Health. The Peer n Peer project is made possible by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Interview with Matt Wong

SHIFTING THE CONVERSATION WITH STREETWORKS

In 2018, as part of our Opioid Awareness project, run in partnership with Fruit Loop and Edmonton 2 Spirit Society, we sat down with one of our Community Naloxone Training partners, Mathew Wong of Streetworks, to discuss the current opioid crisis. Read on to learn more about Alberta’s opioid overdose, what might be driving it, who it impacts, and how we can respond to it more effectively. [Note: This transcript has been lightly edited for length and clarity]

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Interviewer: Can you describe what you do for Streetworks?

Mathew: My official title at Streetworks is the Team Lead of the Overdose Prevention Team. I am an RN by background and our team is dedicated to the huge goal of preventing and reducing overdose and eliminating death from overdose in the community we serve.

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What services does Streetworks provide to the community?

Streetworks is Edmonton’s needle exchange program. We provide all the supplies one might need if they do drugs. In addition to needles, we provide things like tourniquets, alcohol wipes, and sterile water. We are just trying to keep people as healthy and safe as possible, no matter where they’re at in their life. Our funding is primarily related to HIV, so preventing HIV and Hepatitis C is a big part of our work. At a deeper level, though, we are trying to connect with people who might not have any other similar connections.

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The opioid crisis has been recognized as a problem for years in Canada, and yet there are still many lives that continue to be taken by opioid overdoses. In fact, from 2016 to 2017, opioid-overdose deaths increased by approximately 40% in Alberta. Based on your experience working with Streetworks, why do you think this is?

That’s a tough one. If you were just to look at that on the surface it could be disheartening. We’re doing more. We have naloxone kits out there. But we see the numbers increasing. I think it speaks to the number of people we’re not reaching and the hiddenness of substance use. That, and the fact that if a person is going to start using opioids, right now would be one of the most dangerous times because you have a really potent opioid out there that comes in a variety of strengths. Even guys with super high tolerances are affected sometimes.

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Speaking to the “hidden” factor that you mentioned, it’s not necessarily the stereotypical person one would think uses opioids. Are there any particular demographic groups that you see as being at higher risk and/or in need of help? What have you observed as some of the most prominent precipitating factors of opioids addiction?

It’s hard to pinpoint. Statistics show that some areas of our city are more affected than others. And race does factor in as well. But, really, it cuts across all walks of life, affecting people from a range of backgrounds, with a range of incomes. I would say the person who is mostly at risk is someone who doesn’t think they are at risk.

This can come in many forms. It could be the person who is straight out of treatment thinking, “I’ve dealt with my addiction and I’m never going to use again.” That person is at risk because the literature suggests that it’s during the first 30 days after detox that a person is about 37x more likely to overdose because they have a lower tolerance to opioids. Or maybe it’s a person in a suburb in Edmonton who thinks, “I don’t have a problem like those people. I just use it recreationally”. But we know that they could be using drugs that were accidentally contaminated with fentanyl. Or maybe, while they typically wouldn’t use opioids, while high on something else, they might be inclined to try something that they don’t normally take. So, one of the best things you can do is instead of thinking about those people at risk, humbly accept that we’re all at risk.

Regarding the precipitating factors of opioid addiction, I think the common narrative is that there is a person who has an accident, they end up in a hospital, they are given prescription painkillers, and their tolerance builds up. Eventually, they get cut off. So, they end up on the street. That narrative is a pretty common one. But there are other ways people come about opioid addiction. An example one gentleman shared with me was the first time he used heroin. He was on a school bus and the person across from him just happened to be injecting and invited him to try it. He said, “I fell in love. In so many parts of my life I felt isolated and alone.” For him, injecting that heroin felt like love going through his veins. He finally felt warm; comfortable. That’s one example from the other side of the spectrum, demonstrating the variety of experiences which can lead to someone ending up with an opioid addiction.  

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What does current messaging of opioid use to the public look like to you? Does this messaging need to change, and if so, how?

Where we’re at is where we’re at with a lot of drug education. It’s very focused on the negative effects, and often exaggerates them. “Don’t use drugs. Don’t use fentanyl or you’ll die.” Well, first of all, this approach can hurt your credibility with people who use drugs. Many people have used drugs, including fentanyl, and haven’t died. So, if you use that messaging, they might find it manipulative or feel that you don’t know what you’re talking about, which might not make them want to engage with you. Also, when you start with the most extreme messaging – “don’t do drugs or you’ll die” – you cut off the conversation right there. You don’t open opportunities for conversations about harm reduction such as, “never use alone, do a tester, be careful after breaks from using.”

Now they have begun to shift some of the ads, which is a step in the right direction. What we want to do is to shift larger society’s view of the person who uses drugs. Instead of, “Don’t use drugs or don’t use fentanyl or you’ll die,” there is more messaging which communicates, “We care about you, we love you, carry naloxone with you, be safe out there.”  It shifts our view of people who use drugs: “You’re valuable even if you use drugs. You are valuable as a person who uses drugs. You are cared for and we love you.”

Once that messaging solidifies, people will feel more comfortable speaking about their drug use instead of experiencing isolation due to stigma. A group I’d give a shout out to is the Moms Stop the Harm group. It is a group of parents who’ve lost their kids to overdose or whose kids are currently using. They are very harm reduction focused. Instead of just focusing on trying to get kids to stop using drugs, they support various harm reduction initiatives and policy changes like decriminalization. They’re a group of parents who you’d never have guessed had kids who dealt with substance use issues; just everyday people from all sorts of backgrounds. From sharing their stories, more people have begun to share their stories as well. They’ve been very effective at breaking down stigma.

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Practically speaking, how effective is Naloxone at saving lives?

Naloxone can be very effective at preventing an overdose. Besides the scientific evidence, we’ve had lots of people come back to us and say, “I saved some guy’s life because I had a kit.” That said, in addition to being live-saving, Naloxone can also be empowering. In many situations, if you’re a person who uses drugs and buys it off the street, you don’t have a lot of control. You’re essentially at the whim of the drug dealer and supplier. Having access to a Naloxone kit is empowering because it’s like you’re in control of your own life. There have been positive stories in our work, wherein someone used a Naloxone kit and then actually changed their pattern of use significantly, or stopped using altogether.

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What harm reduction strategies other than naloxone are effective in dealing with the opioid crisis?

An important shift is how we view substance use in general. In people’s minds, we think there are only two options when It comes to drugs: that you are either healthy and don’t use drugs or you are unhealthy and do use drugs. A big part of our harm reduction work is introducing a third option: keeping yourself as healthy as possible while still using. This includes practical things like nutrition, hydration, sleep, and other basic necessities. These are things you can still take care of while using drugs.

For example, some drugs take away a person’s appetite. Maybe you can’t keep a whole meal down. But maybe you can pound down an Ensure. That’s an easy practical thing you can do to keep yourself nourished. In other cases, some drugs can take away someone’s ability to sleep. So, even if someone can’t get a full night’s rest, we might encourage them to put their head down for half an hour at a drop-in if it’s safe. A few half hours can add up to a couple of hours, which is better than nothing.

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What are some other harm reduction strategies that Edmonton has undertaken that are effective?

Is this a question directed toward supervised consumption sites [laughs]? While supervised consumption sites are a great thing, there are still some people in the community who are quite opposed to it. My general statement on it is that it’s a great thing to have. Already, we’re noticing that people who we might have seen using in corners, or alleys, or washrooms are now accessing services at these sites which is safer for them, as we always tell people never to use alone. We also see new people who didn’t access the needle exchange before who are accessing the safe consumption site. Over time, we’ve built a relationship with them and have been able to link them to other resources.  

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To anyone reading this who is struggling or who has a loved one who is struggling, what resources are available to them?

First, it’s important to have someone you can speak honestly with. Who you can share your good times and bad times with.  You never know when someone in your life just needs a listening ear or a helping hand.

Next, as a practical aspect, know that you can get Naloxone kits totally free. You can find participating pharmacies at drugsafe.ca. So, whether you go yourself or send someone on your behalf, just know that you can get it free, without hassle.

Finally, addiction treatment, and what success from addiction treatment looks like, comes in many different forms. We fail people when we only measure success in abstinence.  Telling someone that if they use after treatment they are a failure is not helpful. They’re already beating themselves up enough. The truth is, some people don’t like 12 step programs but then there are others who swear by it. Cultural programs, day programs, no treatment at all. There is no one set way to deal with substance use. So, it’s important to find options that work best for you or those you care about.

Note: The Opioid Awareness project is funded by Alberta Health