At Barka Canada, our mission is to improve health and well-being of marginalized individuals through empowerment and community involvement.
We help people who are marginalized overcome major problems such as addictions, unemployment, debts, homelessness (or threat of homelessness), isolation and lack of hope. Sometimes marginalization and isolation are not obvious, for example when people have families but are unable to communicate with them about certain issues or unable to find effective solutions.
We provide specific help and emotional support as needed, both immediate and long-term. Our goal is to restore people’s well-being and to help them become capable, resilient, and productive members of society. In some cases, when a person is affected by a significant health setback (such as a traumatic brain injury), our goal is to find appropriate care that can improve their health and function to the degree that is possible.
Due to the nature of the problems we are dealing with, much of our work centres around addictions, mental health, youth, and immigrants (first and second generation), but we are ready to help anybody who faces marginalization.
Here is an outline of what we do, followed by more details:
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Personal Help in Crisis Situations:
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Long-Term Support, Personal Growth and Skills:
24-hour Confidential Infoline 1-604-302-3060
We have a 24-hour confidential Infoline that anyone can call to obtain our services and support. The line connects you directly to a Barka volunteer. If the phone is not picked up immediately, please leave a message, and we will do our best to call you back within 12 hours. If you don’t know where to turn or what to do, you can call us.
If you need immediate support, please call Crisis Line at 1-800-SUICIDE (1-800-784-2433). If you are in an immediate danger, please call 911.
Crisis Intervention
Our volunteers will meet people out in the community, or talk to them on phone as requested, to help with solving specific problems, or to initiate conversations about their situations and what kind of immediate or ongoing help they need. Such meetings are often initiated by the persons themselves, or by their family members, physicians, social workers, or other referral sources. Of course, it is always up to the person to decide whether they want to talk to us. Sometimes we will meet with a family member of the person experiencing difficulties, to help them cope and to explore best ways of approaching the problem.
Personal Support
We offer emotional support, compassion, and respect for each person who requests our help. Our volunteers also assist individuals and families with solving specific problems, like finding housing or obtaining other services. When needed, we provide transportation and accompany people to important appointments (such as doctor’s visits or support group meetings), or visit people in hospitals and detox centres to support them in their treatment. At Barka Canada, we do not specialize in any particular type of assistance. Instead, we take on what is needed to help people find solutions that work best in their unique life circumstances.
Resource Information and Access
We provide information on resources available in the community, including governmental and non-governmental service agencies. By now we have significant experience in dealing with a wide range of issues and we can help people find resources that meet their needs best. We can also assist them in obtaining or navigating these resources. Or, if a person is dealing with some official matters, we can help them resolve these matters in a constructive and proper way, to the extent we are able to do so.
Institutions that we have connected or helped our clients work with include the following: hospitals; detox and addiction treatment centres; Service Canada; BC Housing; employment services; social services; Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction; legal aid; courts; Family Maintenance Enforcement Program; immigration services; Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada; Canada Border Services Agency; and many others.
Please note that we cannot be guarantors or legal advocates for any client.
Formal AA & NA Group
We run an AA & NA Group (Alcoholics Anonymous & Narcotics Anonymous), formally registered with AA Greater Vancouver Intergroup Society. The group meets once a week (see the sidebar). Current participants are mostly Polish-speaking, so the group is run mainly in Polish, however, everyone is welcome and English can be used.
Self-Help Group
We run a Self-Help Group for people affected by addictions, including family members and those in recovery. The group also welcomes participants dealing with mental health issues or family problems. This is an informal group, based on people sharing their experiences and concerns, and receiving support from their fellow participants. Current volunteer facilitators are Kasia Major, Piotr Szymlowski, and Maria Placewicz. The facilitator’s role is simply to keep the conversations respectful and inclusive, and to ensure the group starts and ends on time. The meetings are held once a week (see the sidebar).
Public Seminars and Workshops
From time to time we organize public seminars on topics that are important for the individual and community well-being, such as mental health, substance abuse, addictions, youth challenges, self-management, interpersonal skills, and family relationships. Our invited speakers are experts in the subject matter. The seminars are open to everybody and free to attend. This is an opportunity to expand our horizons and to learn, so that we can function better, be happier, and address issues that arise in our lives sooner and more effectively.
New Projects
We want to strengthen both prevention and long-term recovery, especially for people affected by addictions, homelessness, or chronic unemployment. Our current plans include four new big projects: an Outreach Program, a Handyman Division Social Enterprise, a Recovery House, and a Recovery Farm. For more information please see the New Projects page.