Coast Clubhouse

The Clubhouse provides pre-vocational and vocational opportunities for its 400 active members in a safe, inviting environment. The Clubhouse promotes recovery through volunteering and work. Members learn work and social skills while working side by side with Employment Counselors. The Clubhouse is divided into work units (environmental, food service and communications), the Transitional Employment Program (TEP) and PACT Employment Services.

• Environmental Unit teaches janitorial skills and lawn maintenance training. The lawn Maintenance is training is done in conjunction with the Forensics Hospital Greenhouse Horticulturalist.
• Food Service Unit provides food prep, cooking, cleaning and cashier training. Every Monday through Friday a nutritious meal is served at noon for $1.00 to the members.
• Communications Unit assists its members to learn computer skills, reception duties and publishes The Coast Post. Computer training is available from the "Working Together Project" which operates out of the VPL and funded by Service Canada.
• Once members have some skills they are given opportunities to work in the Transitional Employment Program (TEP). These jobs last for six months and are paid positions in the community that provide the members with additional income, training and a job reference for their resume. We currently have about 45 clients in this program.

Great Beginnings

Great Beginnings launched in September 2008, is a partnership between Coast Mental Health, City of Vancouver, RainCity Housing and Strathcona BIA. With 13 participants in the beginning the program in November now has 25 individuals working as street cleaners in the Davie, Robson, Strathcona and Yaletown areas.

“Participants realize if they work for [Coast] they have a stable and steady income. This is a much better way to earn money than some of the alternatives,” says George Fan, Coast Mental Health Employment Counsellor. “I have seen significant changes in [the participant’s] lives. They are taking back control of their life.”

The program has been a great success in a short time and is looking to expand in the next year. “People may think that street cleaning is a thankless job, but our team is thanked regularly by the community,” reports Candace McRae, Coast Mental Health Job Developer.

For more information regarding job development please contact Candace McRae at candacem@coastmentalhealth.com.

Transitional and Supported Employment Employers

• Kits Business Improvement Association (BIA)
• Burnaby Heights BIA
• Point Grey BIA
• South Granville Rise BIA
• Mt. Pleasant BIA
• Mt. Pleasant Poster Removal
• Victoria BIA
• Downtown Vancouver BIA Powerwashing
• North Hastings BIA
• Collingwood BIA – SE
• Coast Foundation Society
  • Administration Building - Janitorial
  • Resource Centre - Kitchen
  • Clubhouse - Bathrooms
  • PACT Employment Services - Janitorial
  • Housing - Janitorial
  • Properties - Janitorial and Lawn Service