Backyards with Bolt: Episode 6
In this sixth episode of “Backyards with Bolt”, we introduce our guest Vanessa Waechtler, a clinical counselor at CHIMO Community Services.
CHIMO is a multi-service community service that started in Richmond BC, 1973. The community service’s mission is to promote justice and address violence, and they do so by offering a plethora of services such as Nova Transition House, counseling, an outreach and advocacy program, a family law program, settlement service work and housing support. All these services are accessible in multiple languages due to the diverse population in Richmond.
Before continuing further in the conversation, Vanessa Waechtler addresses a frequently asked question: What does CHIMO stand for? CHIMO, in fact, is not an acronym but an Inuit word that translates to a special friend for people that are in need of someone to talk to.
Executive Director Vedanshi expresses how she admires CHIMO due to the fact that CHIMO has a clear representation for various types of people who speak different languages.
There are benefits to having all sorts of services at one institute; for example some of Ms. Waechtler’s clients may also need assistance in finding a house and instead of sending them to an unfamiliar agency, she can tell them to go across the hall to her colleague.
When asked “what does a day in your life at CHIMO resemble”, Ms.Waechtler answered with an introduction to her job first. She is a counselor in a program called ‘Stop the Violence’, which is a program for women who have experienced domestic violence, abuse, childhood abuse and/or sexual assault. 80% of her time is spent in session with clients either on the phone, video call or in person, while the other 20% consists of attending meetings with various people in the community, phone calls and emails.
BOLT Safety is creating a network of safe spaces, and providing a centralized hub of different community resources, with CHIMO Community Services being a part of it.
With that being said, it’s a wrap for the sixth episode of this series! Remember to tune back next week for another episode!
BOLT Safety encourages everyone who may need help to reach out to locally available support services or even a friend. Stay tuned for Episode 7!
You can access the resources mentioned in this post under the 'Safe Hubs' category on The Hub (see the image below).
If you, or someone you know, is in immediate danger, please call your local emergency services (9-1-1), or learn about other options (like shelters and crisis lines) in the Safe Hubs category of this platform.
Do you have a perspective to share on safety? We'd love to hear from you! Contact us through our website, or dm us on any of our social media platforms!
Email: boltsafety@gmail.com
Instagram: @boltsafety
Facebook: @boltsafety
LinkedIn: @boltsafety
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