Every day, members of Coast Mental Health’s Transitional Employment Program (TEP) are out in the community doing important, often unseen work — cleaning sidewalks, clearing laneways, tidying bus stops, and helping care for shared public spaces across Vancouver and surrounding areas. 

Through TEP’s Street Clean Team, people living with mental illness gain paid work experience in a supportive, team‑based environment while contributing to cleaner, healthier neighbourhoods. Participants build confidence, develop job skills, and establish routines that support recovery, all while making a visible difference in the places we live and gather. 

The work goes beyond cleaning. Team members also report graffiti and household garbage for city pick‑up and support clean‑ups at special community events, helping ensure public spaces remain safe and welcoming for everyone. 

This Earth Day, we recognize how programs like TEP bring together environmental care and inclusive employment. By supporting recovery through meaningful work and caring for the shared spaces that connect us, TEP continues to strengthen communities—one small action at a time.