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Program Description:
The purposes of the society are:
To assist addicted people to experience dignity, purpose and empowerment in their daily lives.
To promote integration of addicted people as citizens and members of the wider community.
To eliminate the stigma and negative attitudes toward addicted people through education and positive action.
To recognize and utilize the experienced based knowledge of addicted people, their families, friends and supporters to favourably impact social policies and changes.
To promote changes in attitudes to develop training and employment opportunities in the fields of Harm Reduction and Education.
To demonstrate the benefits of sensible solutions through Harm Reduction and Education.
L.I.N.E.S. works directly with the most marginalized residents in the Downtown Eastside. Poverty, underhousing, unemployment, mental and emotional illness put thousands of people at risk for addiction to drugs and alcohol. Once an individual becomes addicted the less likely they are to receive services and assistance with the real problems involved in daily survival. We do some limited advocacy within the welfare, health and justice system but our primary goal is to be an accurate and powerful voice for changes that affect every aspect of people's lives. We believe that every person has the ability to reduce the harm to themselves, their families and their communities
Public Education Network
PEN develops educational brochures, pamphlets, videos and reports about drug addiction, treatment and the benefits of certain types of Harm Reduction programs. They design and carry out surveys and interviews to provide a personal insight into the effects of untreated drug addiction on Users, their families and their communities and ways to improve their lives.
Out From The Shadows Project
SPEAKERS BUREAU
This group of volunteers includes family, friends, supporters, active drug users and recovering addicts. They put a personal face on drug addiction by telling their own stories and promoting the benefits of Harm Reduction. We provide speakers to groups, large and small, who are interested in knowing more about drug addiction from a more personal perspective. Groups may indicate whether they wish a general panel, individual speakers or want a special emphasis on a particular area. There is no cost for this service, however a small cash donation helps to cover transportation and printing supplies.
COMMUNITY KEEPERS PROGRAM
Many addicts are involved in crime to support their habits. The average stay in a Provincial prison is 60 days. When they are released they have often lost their shelter, their belongings and their income. They have few options open to them but return to the DTES and the life they knew in order to eat and survive. We attempt to take advantage of their months of "clean" time by providing a peer guide to assist them in taking care of immediate needs such as food and shelter and providing support through the bureaucratic maze of welfare, probation, etc. For the first 24 to 48 hours after their release they have some breathing space to review their options. We hope to break the cycle that leads back to addiction, crime and incarceration.
PEER SUPPORT WORKERS UNION
LINES recently undertook the contract to hire, schedule, train and supervise individuals for full time and part time positions at the newly opened Safe Injection Site in Vancouver. There are four full time employees and 21 part time casuals. The uniqeness of this program is that all of those hired must be personally experienced with injection drug use either in the past or at the present time. It is hoped that this program will pave the way to more employment opportunities for marginalized people in spite of their addictions.
Phone: 604-684-8493
Cell: 604-724-4485
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