Vikki's experience includes consulting, training and clinical supervision with refugees and survivors of torture, mental health and substance abuse counsellors, rape crisis counsellors, frontline and housing workers and transgendered and queer communities. She has developed curriculum and taught Group Work, Trauma, and Diversity courses at Vancouver Community College and the University of British Columbia. She received the Dean's Award for Distinguished Instructor from City University where she has taught for more than ten years. Vikki has presented her work internationally in Australia, New Zealand, U.S., and Ireland and most recently has been working with Peak House, Women Against Violence Against Women, and the Rain City Housing Society in the Downtown Eastside, Vancouver, Canada.

History

How did I get here?

In the early nineties I was giving a speech in Washington State on behalf of Amnesty International. We were protesting an execution. “Here We Are, Amazingly Alive, Against Long Odds”.

The path

I have been heavily involved in activist communities for more than 30 years working with diverse social justice groups. The act of witnessing, the concept of solidarity and a deep commitment to justice have evolved from my activist experiences and are integrated into my current community work. In bridging activism and community work, I envision our collective community work as doable and sustainable.

This work has transformed into the foundation of the book I have written for my PhD, titled: Doing Justice as a Path to Sustainability in Community Work.