B.C. Rotary club, veterans program to provide mental health support in Ukraine
A Metro Vancouver Rotary club and a program that helps veterans with the mental health impacts due to war are going to be taking their sense of service and their expertise to Ukraine.
The White Rock Rotary Club and the Veterans Transition Program at UBC are teaming up to provide mental health supports to Ukrainians. Today they signed a memorandum of understanding to launch the “Ukraine Trauma Support Initiative."
Tim Laidler, who is with the Institute for Veterans Education and Transition program, says whether its military or civilians, the impact is hard to ignore. Ukrainians have been under siege for nearly 500 days.
"The common denominator is the trauma and living in a high-stress environment on an ongoing basis. That's what our militaries have experienced. That's what I experienced myself in Afghanistan," Laidler explained.
In Ukraine, civilians are stepping up to join the military and the trauma is like a rolling wave. There may be a pause, but the conflict is ever-present.
"They're continually getting bombed. They're continually getting shelled. They don't know what's going to happen with power. There's all sorts of stress on them," said Laidler.
Veterans at the Rotary club also know about the impacts of war. With a focus on mental health supports this year, they're now teaming up with the UBC program to get veterans, counsellors and others on the ground to train up mental health staff in Ukraine. The UBC program has been around more than twenty years.
Bob Sutherland, is a former participant who says he knows what it feels like to be "always on the edge." He plans to travel to Ukraine and is helping the Rotary club with its fundraising efforts.
"I know firsthand, what generational trauma will do to families and if we can hit the first generation, it could nullify that impact,” Sutherland said, adding, "one of the main things was I learned to forgive myself.
Alan Plett, another veteran who plans to help, said after an adrenaline rush there might be a reprieve, but the stress inevitably comes back.
"Eventually the body wears out and there's more down than up," Plett added.
The hope is to give people the training so that when the war ends they can rebuild. That will include physical structures, and communities, as well as emotional healing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
PWHL Minnesota defeats Boston to win inaugural Walter Cup
Minnesota won the inaugural championship of the Professional Women’s Hockey League on Wednesday night, getting 17 saves from Nicole Hensley to beat Boston 3-0 in a winner-take-all Game 5 and claim the Walter Cup.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
B.C. mortgage broker ran $270-million Ponzi scheme, then fled Canada, bankruptcy trustee says
The trustee appointed to manage the bankruptcies of a Victoria mortgage company and its owner has concluded that they committed "numerous offences" and operated as a "massive Ponzi scheme."
Oilers rally to beat Stars, tie Western Conference Final
With the Edmonton Oilers down two goals late in the first period of Game 4, Rogers Place was quiet, fans seemingly bewildered at the early, quick scoring of the Dallas Stars and the slow start by the home team. Ryan McLeod's marker with six-and-a-half minutes in the opening frame left changed all that.
McDonald's says $18 Big Mac meal was an 'exception' and their prices haven't risen that much
McDonald’s is fighting back against viral tweets and media reports that it says have exaggerated its price increases.
'Targeted again': Montreal police investigate after gunshot fired at Jewish school
Police are investigating another building in Montreal's community was struck by gunfire.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.