Spiritual and Cultural Care
Spiritual and Cultural Care
Many of the youth who come to Covenant House Vancouver have experienced tremendous losses and trauma in their young lives. Our aim is to help youth find meaning and purpose in their lives beyond just the day-to-day survival skills that they are used to.
For a lot of youth, their faith, their beliefs, and their spiritual practices are what have helped them to survive.
Our Spiritual Care team makes sure that we welcome, support, and nurture youth of all faiths and traditions. As a result, we help youth explore and develop their own spiritual, religious, and cultural identities.
Each youth decides if they would like spiritual care, during their time at CHV. It’s never imposed on, or expected of, them.
Cultural celebrations help contribute to a sense of home, either in the physical space, or within the youth themselves.
CULTURAL CARE
- Provides youth with a safe space to explore and celebrate different cultures
- Is celebrated through a variety of activities and holidays, throughout the year. Celebrations vary to best serve the youth who are currently at CHV
- Often involves the sharing of food from different cultures — both during mealtimes and during outings
- Is supported through a variety of books in our art room and in the Drop-In Centre
- Is supported through the hiring of diverse staff, who understand the experiences that youth face
- Connects youth to safe and healthy cultural communities and organizations
SPIRITUAL CARE:
- A dedicated spiritual care space with tangible support like prayer rugs, sacred texts, or medicines
- Medicine cabinets in all three of our buildings
- One-on-one spiritual care sessions
- Connects youth to safe and healthy spiritual or religious communities
- Supports youth in times of grief and loss
- Supports youth by officiating memorial services