Patient & Community Voices Series: Term 2 Workshops Underway!

Substance Use & Stigma

On February 5, 2024 the British Columbia Centre on Substance Use (BCCSU) and the Patient & Community Voices Workshop series collaborated on Substance Use:Addressing Stigma in the Health System to Improve Patient Outcomes. Twenty three healthcare students (Audiology, Dietetics, Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Social Work) attended the community-driven workshop to explore stigma across system of care faced by people who use substances. Through hearing personal stories of lived experience and participating in small group discussions, students learned how to address substance use discrimination in their own practices.

“I truly valued the individual stories of the presenters, how real and vulnerable they were, and how not only did they share some deep personal traumas but also gave us inspiring ideas about how to move forward, insights into what were the most heartfelt moments for them, and what we as future healthcare professionals can do to provide healing for these populations,” said an Occupational Therapy Student

Disability Health

Patient & Community Voices workshop series was proud to present the interprofessional workshop Disability Health by the Disability Alliance BC on February 13, 2024. This long running workshop looked at the benefits available for people living with disabilities and shared how healthcare practitioners can better assist clients through systemic advocacy. The workshop was attended by 27 students from Medicine, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Pharmacy, Social Work and Speech Language Pathology programs.

“Prior to this workshop I was not knowledgeable about any of the funding options for persons with disability. I learned a lot of information on eligibility criteria and the amount of funding that is provided from the PWD, CPP-D, DTC, and RDSP. I also learned about invisible disabilities and how to keep an open mind and advocate for my patients,” said a Speech Language Pathology Student

Upcoming Workshops

Stereotypes, Truth & Moving towards Reconciliation in Health Care
March 5, 2024 6-8pm | Zoom
Partner: Indian Residential School Survivor Society
Health care students are invited to hear from a residential school survivor and learn about the historical underpinnings of the Indian Residential School system in order break down professional and personal stereotypes.

Mental Health: Empathy and Compassion
March 12, 2024 6-8pm | Zoom
Partner: Pathways Serious Mental Illness Society
This workshop will introduce students to the challenges of living with serious mental illness and the role of developing empathy and compassion in the process of recovery.

These workshops are only open to students in the UBC human and health services. Spaces are limited. Apply to register: