Our vision is to expand knowledge for healthy individuals, families, and communities.
Partnership is powerful
The BC Partners are a group of seven non-profit agencies working to advance mental health and substance use literacy. Since 2003, we’ve collaborated to help people live well and both prevent and manage mental health and substance use problems.
With a vision to expand knowledge for healthy individuals, families, and communities, we strive to ensure people across BC can:
- Access and understand information about mental health, substance use, and wellbeing – and reach out for help when they need it.
- Experience less stigma around mental health and substance use.
- Easily find high-quality and evidence-based mental health and substance use information.
We’re better
when we work together
Watch this video to learn more about the people behind BC Partners.
How we show up
Our values guide everything we do. From planning to designing and delivering to assessing our efforts, this is how we work – each and every day. These values are imprinted in our conscience, convictions, and commitments. In all things, we will:
Assume good intent
We anticipate good intent in our interactions with each other and the communities we serve.
Be open and curious
We seek to listen, discover, and take the time to learn from others, within the partnership and beyond.
Be honest and respectful
We voice our thoughts, including our reservations, with candour and respect.
Be adaptive and flexible
We seek to grow and innovate, try new things even if we make mistakes, do things differently if this is what listening tells us to do, and be willing to radically change.
What we believe
All our work rests on a fundamental set of ideas that keep us on track and illuminate our partnership. These are our foundational principles, and the core ideas that guide us.
Mental health and substance use are part of the human journey
Everyone experiences the complexities of mental health and substance use in different ways, in different forms, and at different stages of life. It’s normal and natural for people to care for their mental health and manage substance use.
There is wisdom in diverse perspectives
No single perspective or frame of reference can provide the resources an entire community needs to make decisions about mental health and substance use.
People do the best with what they have
Accessible and evidence-based information, resources, and supports help people to make informed choices about their health and wellbeing.
Meaningful interaction with others is critical for health and vitality. Wellness of mind, body, and spirit requires community relationships.
Connection is essential to wellness
Meaningful interaction with others is critical for health and vitality. Wellness of mind, body, and spirit requires community relationships. A sense of true and meaningful belonging is fundamental to the experience of wellness.
Everyone is vulnerable; we are all resilient
The stigma that often accompanies mental health and substance use is misguided and unhelpful. People who seek new pathways through their challenges with mental health and substance use should never experience prejudice or discrimination.
Early engagement has lifelong benefits
Human life is dynamic, not static. Throughout our lives, each action or inaction often compounds over time. Early habits tend to gather momentum toward consequences, either positive or negative.
Good information provides hope, but good information alone is not enough
Information is a catalyst for health and hope, but it must be trustworthy information. Information is not innocuous. Poor information, inaccessible information, and no information can do harm. Having good information is essential to making the best choices for one’s life.
Partnership is powerful
The power of multiple agencies pursuing a shared vision enhances our ability to succeed. Partnership gives strength to purpose. Partnership is the antidote to disconnected, disparate efforts and the scattering of energy, focus, and resources that comes from isolated activity.
