News Stories
VIU Alum Helps Start Mobile Youth Outreach Team to Support Homeless Youth
July 10, 2020
Ruby Barclay, a Child and Youth Care alum and coordinator of the Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre’s Youth Advisory Council, is part of an initiative that aims to support and learn more about youth living on the streets of Nanaimo. “I am the example of what survival is really about on this planet.” To Ruby Barclay, Coordinator of the Nanaimo Aboriginal Centre’s Youth Advisory Council, this quote shows... Read more
The Class of 2019
September 17, 2019
The future is full of infinite possibilities for the more than 1,200 Vancouver Island University graduates who crossed the stage this year. Fuelled by their passions and equipped to excel in their fields thanks to hands-on learning opportunities and the support they received during their time at VIU, grads are ready to take on new challenges and opportunities in their chosen career paths. Three... Read more
VIU Recreation Prescription Project Gets Youth Moving
December 7, 2018
Breaking down barriers to recreation for elementary school children could contribute to healthier, more active adults. Thanks to a $50,000 grant from Island Health, Vancouver Island University (VIU) has partnered with the City of Nanaimo Parks and Recreation, Division of Family Practice, and the Nanaimo Ladysmith School District to introduce Grade 5 students to more active lifestyles. The 16-week... Read more
VIU’s Outreach Program Inspires Youth to Follow their Dreams
November 27, 2018
It starts with a simple conversation – ‘what do you want to be when you grow up?’ That one question can be a catalyst for change, but for some children, it’s a discussion they have never had the opportunity to have. “A lot of students we visited didn’t have dreams for themselves because they never had the opportunity to explore them,” says Katie McCarthy, a fourth-year student in the Vancouver... Read more
Breaking the Poverty Cycle: The Economic Impact of Post-Secondary Education
November 19, 2018
After a year of planning, Ruby Barclay arrived at Vancouver Island University (VIU) Student Residences from her hometown with two Rubber Maid totes and a duffel bag. “That was it – that was my entire life,” she remembers. “The first day was really, really tough.” While most youth transitioning to post-secondary rely on parents and extended family for support with school, living expenses and... Read more
What is Happening to the Children?
October 17, 2018
By Aly Winks People who experience childhood trauma often describe the event as life-changing, and rarely for the better. Research suggests that early intervention after such events can make all the difference in a young person’s life. That’s where VIU Child and Youth Care students and faculty hope to make an impact. British Columbia is currently in the middle of a medical health crisis that is... Read more
VIU Students Look To Help The Youngest Victims of the Opioid Crisis
February 20, 2018
Societal stigma biggest obstacle in helping those in need It has been called the most urgent healthcare crisis today. A few times each year, the Ministry of Health for British Columbia releases statistics, which indicate more than three people every day are dying of opioid poisoning in the province. The substances doing the killing are fentanyl and carfentanyl. The stories that accompany the... Read more
VIU Graduate Reaches Unreachable With Unique Program
January 25, 2018
Horses help in healing old wounds No amount of talking or medication can heal some wounds. It’s when people discover this that they tend to find Anastasia Hirst and Equine Facilitated Wellness (EFW). Hirst enrolled in Vancouver Island University’s (VIU’s) Child and Youth Care program so she could continue her work in EFW. When she graduated, she was already employed at Generation Farms,... Read more