The AMS is currently in the process of building a new service — to be called “Vice" — designed specifically for addressing the needs of students with drug, alcohol and technological addiction issues.
Currently, Speakeasy is the only organization that deals with (although it is not tailored to) students with addiction issues. When she noticed this gap, UBC student Tracey Gaydosh started campaigning for a student service that would focus solely on students suffering from addiction — which led to the AMS creating Vice, and planning is well underway.
“We’re hoping that it acts as a low-barrier service for students regarding anything addiction-related,” said Hussam Zbeeb, AMS student services manager and currently heading up the initiative. “Essentially Vice will kind of be three-pronged in the sense that it will kind of be working on education, on outreach and on student and peer support.”
Vice will address each of these three areas in different ways — the particulars are to be determined as the team keeps planning — but each section will have its own team leader as well as separate volunteers. All of these roles will be filled by students.
“What I really want is to … add that peer piece, that student piece, and let students know that there are people here to help them through whatever they’re going through,” said Lina Castro, the AMS's service coordinator.
Students will not need to be addicted to substances or technology to use the service. Vice will also aim to provide help for students merely wanting to know more about substance abuse in general, different kinds of help that can be obtained and even how insurance would work for a student with an addiction seeking help.
Zbeeb explained that Vice will fill an important gap in student services on campus.
“We thought this was a really cool opportunity for the AMS to make a contribution and support students with addictions,” he said.
“Something by students for students doesn’t really exist, so it truly fills that void particularly,” added Castro.
According to Zbeeb, the AMS is hoping that Vice will be up and running for students to use in September — but they refuse to sacrifice quality for timeliness. The launch may be delayed if the AMS feels that the service is not ready, but it will almost certainly be available by the end of first term next school year.