Change Can Happen. Video Series.
A multi-part series produced by Central City Foundation, “Change Can Happen” explores community-led programs, initiatives and ideas from our inner city that are helping to build a resilient, caring and inclusive community where it is possible for all people to overcome injustice, participate and thrive.
Episode #6: An Update on the Opioid Crisis in Vancouver’s DTES
Six years into this public health emergency, we spoke with our community partners to help provide a much-needed update on the impacts of the unregulated, toxic drug supply and ensuing overdose crisis on our inner city community. We hope this update, seen through the eyes of our community partners who live it every day, will help build the compassion and collective will needed to respond to the opioid crisis in a meaningful way. belonging. View Episode #6
Episode #5: Reimagining Housing For Our Inner City
Central City Foundation has been providing safe, clean and affordable housing in our inner city since 1910. While there have always been neighbours in need of help, throughout the last few years, we have witnessed a profound and disturbing deterioration in the living conditions people experience in the Downtown Eastside and the broader inner city. As a result, our evolving approach to inner city housing puts greater emphasis on encouraging community connections and a sense of belonging. View Episode #5
Episode #4: Helping Inner City Youth Create Better Futures for Themselves
There are a surprising number of youth in the lower mainland who are growing up on the streets due to a range of complex reasons. These young people face significant challenges, including homelessness or housing insecurity, poverty and lack of access to health services or educational opportunities. Many of these youth are also facing challenges with their mental health and addictions resulting from trauma and isolation. The most recent Vancouver Homeless Count in 2020 found that 9% of the homeless people identified were under the age of 25. A significant percentage of these youth were in government care, with many of them also experiencing homelessness as a child. View Episode #4
Episode #3: Safer Spaces for Women
Women in the inner city face a complex combination of challenges that include poverty, homelessness or housing insecurity, as well as challenges with mental or physical health and often addiction that are a result of trauma and isolation. All of these conditions intersect to create a complex environment where women in the inner city experience violence on a regular basis. View Episode #3
Episode #2: The Transformational Power of a Job Opportunity
“I think from the larger community there’s still a lot of stereotypes that people have about the Downtown Eastside community,” says Matthew Smedley, Executive Director & Chief Empowerment Officer at Mission Possible. “Everything from people are lazy who are experiencing poverty to really it’s their own fault to kind of this blaming of people. Thinking it’s all about choices or series of choices that people made. It’s really inaccurate and not true within this community.” View Episode #2
Episode #1: A Safe Place Where People Can Huddle Together Out of the Rain
“Somebody that is not familiar with the social and economic conditions in the Downtown Eastside could easily be aghast at what they’re seeing,” says Ken Lyotier, retired resident of the Downtown Eastside. “And they say ‘oh my god, how could the conditions be this way? But it’s important to look deep and see human beings. You have to believe that these are people with human hearts and human feelings and human thoughts.” View Episode #1