By Afreen Kaur Gill, President of the DSU Community Outreach Project

As Psychiatric Nursing students, we are committed to enhancing equitable access to care and promoting compassionate, person-centered and holistic care.

The Community Outreach Project meets unhoused people where they’re at.

Founded by Psychiatric Nursing students, the Douglas Students’ Union student-led and volunteer-run group provides holistic care that respects these individuals’ current needs and abilities, rather than expecting them to change first.

Since 2018, we have distributed thousands of care packages to people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Each care package includes items such as clothing, nonperishable food, toiletries, emergency blankets, menstrual products, hand warmers, supplement drinks and other essentials.

The Community Outreach Project engages Psychiatric Nursing students in community outreach while fostering teamwork and leadership. The project helps students to step beyond the classroom and connect directly with the people they are training to work with. These experiences help future psychiatric nurses better understand the social determinants of health and the challenges faced by individuals at the intersection of housing insecurity, poverty and mental health concerns.

Watch the Community Outreach Project in action: https://www.instagram.com/p/DU6xjfGktJs/ 

Harm reduction and overdose prevention

Harm reduction is an integral part of our efforts. Harm reduction approaches emphasize dignity, compassion and the importance of providing life-saving resources to those who need them. During outreach events, we distribute naloxone kits and teach community members how to recognize the signs of an overdose. We also demonstrate when and how to properly administer naloxone. 

By increasing awareness and access to naloxone, we hope to help prevent overdose deaths and enhance community safety.  

Read more: Social Work grad fosters community in the Downtown Eastside 

Destigmatizing mental health

Individuals experiencing homelessness often face intersecting challenges that may include trauma, mental illness, substance use and social marginalization. As mental health stigma continues to be a significant barrier to care, as Psychiatric Nursing students we are committed to actively reducing stigma, enhancing equitable access to care and promoting compassionate, person-centered and holistic care.  

Beyond hosting outreach events, our work continues through blogs, research, social media engagement and other initiatives that share vital knowledge related to mental health stigma. This is important because reducing stigma demands engaging not only those directly affected by homelessness, substance use and mental illness, but also the wider public, whose awareness and understanding play a critical role in fostering supportive attitudes, early help-seeking and more inclusive communities.  

Read more: Psychiatric Nursing grad turns mental health services leader 

Recognition and impact

Advocacy is a central part of psychiatric nursing. Through the Community Outreach Project, we also work to increase awareness of the psychiatric nursing profession. Our team participates in educational events and presentations at local high schools and post-secondary institutions such as the University of British Columbia. These opportunities allow us to share information about the psychiatric nursing profession, highlight the importance of mental-health care and inspire students who may be interested in pursuing careers in mental health. 

Our work has been recognized beyond Douglas College. In 2020, the Community Outreach Project was awarded the John Gibbard Memorial Award from the United Nations Association in Canada (Vancouver Branch), an honour presented annually to a student or group dedicated to creating positive change locally or internationally. 

Nursing with purpose

It is a privilege to be part of this initiative and to work alongside students and volunteers who care deeply about supporting vulnerable members of our community. As the current president of the Community Outreach Project, my hope is that each graduating class passes the torch of this mission to the next generation of nurses, so that the project will continue to grow and extend its influence far and wide. 

Learn more: Psychiatric Nursing at Douglas College