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ucalgary recovery community
"The UCRC is the program I needed both as a student in active addiction and a faculty member silenced by shame about being recovery."
-Victoria F. Burns
The UCalgary Recovery Community (UCRC), a first of its kind in Canada, is an inclusive, peer-driven space supporting all pathways to recovery, building community, and reducing addiction stigma on the UCalgary campus.
Guided by the Campus Mental Health Strategy, the UCRC operates at the intersection of addiction prevention and recovery.
The UCRC offers Recovery-4-All peer-support meetings, open to anyone with direct lived or living experience of addiction, or curious to explore their relationship with substances or other behaviours.
Background
Although Dr. Victoria Burns, PhD, found long-term recovery in 2013 following a 15-year battle with alcohol, she says it was in recovery – rather than in active addiction that she faced the most stigma.
Burns, an Assistant Professor with the Faculty of Social Work, says she found herself leading a double life when she began her recovery journey as a PhD student. In a recent article “The Sober Professor,” Burns discusses how well-meaning colleagues continually encouraged her to toast her successes. They couldn’t fathom why someone would refuse a drink.
Burns wants to ensure that campus members don’t feel similarly isolated, ashamed, or judged. As such, she has founded the UCalgary Recovery Community (UCRC).
UCRC is inspired by
Collegiate Recovery Communities (CRCs).
UCRC is also inspired by the
Recovery-Friendly Workplace (RFW).
what ucrc offers
dedicated physical space
The inclusive physical space, open to all identities and campus members, is committed to supporting multiple pathways to recovery, building community, and reducing stigma on campus.
peer support
In-person peer support meetings offer a safe space to talk about substance use, behavioural addictions, and recovery.
on-campus events
The UCRC offers meetups and events around the campus, open to anyone with direct lived or living experience of addiction, or curious to explore their relationship with substances or other behaviours.