People First Radio – May 23, 2024People First Radio – May 23, 2024
People First Radio
Housing stability, trauma care and youth-led service are brought together through interviews on eviction data, affordable counselling, and a student-run charity. The episode highlights how legal reform, community agencies and young volunteers each contribute to support people facing homelessness and mental health challenges.
0:00•24 May 2024
Evictions, Trauma Care and Teen Changemakers on People First Radio
Episode Overview
- First United’s eviction map reveals that around a quarter of surveyed tenants could not find new housing after eviction, with significant rates of both homelessness and displacement from communities.
- Landlord use (no‑fault) evictions make up the majority of recorded cases, prompting calls for measures such as vacancy control, longer notice periods and making eviction a last resort.
- Evictions and housing loss affect certain groups more severely, including Indigenous people, seniors, people with disabilities and families who may be separated from their children.
- Island Community Counseling shows how practicum placements can rapidly expand trauma-focused services, offering affordable therapy, no waitlist, and structured support for trainee counsellors.
- Helping Hearts demonstrates that youth volunteers are eager to act on homelessness and hunger when given a clear avenue to help and a genuine voice in shaping projects.
“We do what we do because we need to. And we will continue to do it, not because we should be, but until we don’t need to do it at all.”
How do people find hope in the darkest times? This edition of People First Radio pulls together housing insecurity, trauma care, and teen-led community action in a way that feels grounded and very human. First up, Joe Pugh talks with Sarah Marsden from First United about their eviction map for British Columbia.
She explains why they started gathering data that “the government doesn’t have,” and shares a stark figure: about a quarter of respondents couldn’t find a new place to live after being evicted. Sarah explains formal and informal evictions, the dominance of “landlord use” or no‑fault evictions, and why First United is pushing for changes like vacancy control and treating eviction as a last resort, not the first step. The focus then shifts to mental health support.
Canadian certified counsellor Earl Blacklock, head of Island Community Counseling, talks about expanding a practicum programme that’s grown his agency from five to nearly 30 counsellors in five years. Working mainly with trauma survivors, he breaks down therapies like DBT, EMDR and polyvagal‑informed approaches in plain language, warning against quick-fix “pop psychology”: “Stop doing that.
Because all you’re creating is greater shame.” He stresses affordable fees, no waitlist, and the need for government to partner with non‑profits to support long‑term recovery. Finally, grade 10 student Christopher Lee shares how a casual idea in year eight turned into Helping Hearts, a youth‑led non‑profit that’s raised tens of thousands of dollars and served thousands of meals.
What started as “just grade eights” making sandwiches has become a platform for young volunteers who, as Christopher puts it, “care about our mission” and simply needed a way to act. If you care about housing, mental health, or how ordinary people step up for their communities, this conversation offers plenty to think about and maybe a spark for what you’ll do next.
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