Looking to connect with others in a supportive space?
Foundry Virtual BC offers free groups and workshops for youth and caregivers across BC! This webpage provides an overview of current & upcoming groups and workshops- please keep checking back as we continue to add new offers, often!
Interested in joining an in-person group at your local centre? Please click one of the buttons below to see groups offered by a few of our Foundry centres.
Please ensure that you check your junk/spam folder once you have registered for a group! Sometimes your registration confirmation and group link will be sent there. If you have registered for a group and have not heard from us within 3 days, please email online@foundrybc.ca
New Workshop dates!
Please note Nov 27/Dec 4 workshops are now full! New dates for 2024 will be announced soon!
To register or ask questions, please email efftworkshop@foundrybc.ca
What is EFFT? (Emotion Focused Family Therapy)
Supporting a loved one struggling with their mental health and/or wellness can be very challenging. Foundry Virtual BC has adopted Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT) as one of the helping services in alignment with our model and vision. We believe that supporting caregivers with skills and tools promotes better wellness outcomes for all. Research proves that recovery rates rise dramatically when family is involved.
Don’t see a date that works for you? Please keep checking back for new workshops added.
Caregivers Support Group
This group will be offered on Wednesdays bi-weekly from 7:30-9:00 PM on an ongoing drop-in basis.
The next groups will be as follows:
November 29th, December 13th, December 27th, January 10th, January 24th.
We are excited to offer a new group for BC caregivers! If you are supporting a young person between the ages of 12-24 and are interested in connecting with other parents in a safe, inclusive, and confidential space, this is the group for you! The group will be facilitated by two caregivers with lived experience supporting their youth with various mental health and substance use challenges.
Topics discussed each week will vary, and will ensure ample time for open dialogue.
To register, please email online@foundrybc.ca with the email titled “caregivers support group”
Work & Education Workshop Series: Work Life Balance
Struggling to manage work or school with everything else in your life? Want to get better at managing what is on your plate? Join this virtual workshop with the team at Foundry Victoria to talk about what work life balance is, why it matters, strategies for achieving and keeping things balanced. Plus – prizes and games!
Open to youth ages 12-24.(Do not have to be enrolled in the Work & Education Program).
Tuesday December 5th, 3:30-4:30pm
Email us at FWEP@foundrybc.ca if you have any questions.
Register HERE.
Past Groups
Work & Education Workshop Series: Goal Setting
Thinking about getting a job? Feeling overwhelmed and not sure where to start? Join this virtual workshop with the team at Foundry Vancouver-Granville to learn about setting attainable goals to achieve your work and school goals! We’ll cover SMART goals, breaking down large goals, problem solving, and how to incorporate wellness into achieving your goals.
Open to youth ages 12-24.(Do not have to be enrolled in the Work & Education Program)
Tuesday November 14th, 2:30pm-3:30pm
Email us at FWEP@foundrybc.ca if you have any questions.
Register HERE.
Mindfulness with Caring Jar: Workshop
Join Foundry Virtual BC for a virtually guided meditation/visualization workshop focusing on emotional regulation. An ocean-themed calming jar will be sent in the mail directly to those who register before October 9th.
Thursday November 9th at 5:00pm – 6:30pm PST.
This workshop is for any young person aged 12-24 living in BC! For questions, please email online@foundrybc.ca
Register HERE
Work & Education Workshop Series: Knowing Your Rights as a Worker
Join this virtual workshop with Alive After 5 Employment Program to learn about how to stay safe and protected in the workplace. We’ll talk about workplace discrimination, how to know if your workplace is unsafe and what you can do about it. We’ll also review BC Employment Standards and WorkSafeBC.
Open to youth ages 12-24. (Do not have to be enrolled in the Work & Education Program).
Email us at FWEP@foundrybc.ca if you have any questions.
Work & Education Workshop Series: Communication Skills for Work & School
It can feel intimidating to ask for help, share your opinion or deal with conflict anywhere, especially at work or in school! Join the Foundry Virtual BC team to learn about different communication styles and what gets in the way of communicating well. We’ll also introduce skills to help you to overcome communication challenges, like regulating strong emotions, considering our needs and practicing the W.I.N. statement for assertive communication.
Open to youth ages 12-24. (Do not have to be enrolled in the Work & Education Program).
Email us at FWEP@foundrybc.ca if you have any questions.
Missed the workshop? Check out the recording HERE.
Work & Education Workshop Series: Workplace Etiquette
You just got a new job, now what? Join the team at Foundry Prince George to learn about how to conduct yourself in your new work environment! We’ll cover punctuality, how to dress, use of personal mobile devices and email etiquette. We’ll also talk about mindfulness, communication and how to navigate relationships at work.
Open to youth ages 12-24. (Do not have to be enrolled in the Work & Education Program).
Email us at FWEP@foundrybc.ca if you have any questions.
New Youth Workshop! Wednesday, August 30th from 5-6pm
This workshop is for youth ages 12-24. The traditional dreamcatcher is rich with symbolism. In this facilitated workshop, youth explore its origins and meaning while creating a dreamcatcher of their own! Together, we wrap a 6” hoop with white-tail deer leather, weave the artificial sinew, then attach the feathers and beads for a beautiful result. Feathers and leather are sourced locally to Makatew Workshops in Ottawa, Canada. We discuss teachings and topics like cultural appropriation versus appreciation, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, the medicine wheel, and more. Participants are invited to ask questions in a safe and welcoming space.
*Note: We will be sending out Dreamcatcher kits to the first 10 people who join this workshop. Please register before August 9th to receive a kit. You can still join without a kit or bring a project you are working on!
Questions? Email online@foundrybc.ca
Work & Education Workshop Series: Disclosure & Accommodation
Join the team at Foundry Terrace to take a look at how disclosure and accommodation work in the real world! They’ll discuss how and when to disclose or request accommodations at work, as well as your rights as an employee. Tools will be provided to support you in this process.
Email us at FWEP@foundrybc.ca if you have any questions.
Missed the workshop? Check out the recording HERE.
Work & Education Workshop Series: Post-secondary Programs and education supports
Feeling overwhelmed by thinking about post-secondary education? Join the team at Foundry North shore to go over where and how to find information about post-secondary programs. They’ll also explore sources and supports available to fund your education and how to access them.
Open to youth ages 12-24. (Do not have to be enrolled in the Work & Education Program).
Email us at FWEP@foundrybc.ca if you have any questions.
Missed the workshop? Check out the recording HERE.
Brave in Your Body: Summer Cohort
Summer time and warmer weather can be a challenging time for folks with poor body image. Join Foundry Virtual for a free 5- week body image group where you will gain tools/skills and explore your relationship to your body. This group is for anyone who has felt the pressure to look a certain way based on society’s standards or is struggling with body image, disordered eating, diet culture or weight stigma.
Details:
Youth ages 15-24
Wednesdays, 4:00-5:30pm.
June 7, 14, 21, 28 and July 5.
Register HERE.
Cultural Connections: Smudging Workshop
June 5th from 5:00-6:30pm.
Join Foundry Virtual BC and Cree/Metis Two-Spirit artist, Lynette, for a cultural connections workshop on the Nehiyaw/Michif Smudging Ceremony. Come and learn about the Smudging Ceremony- a ceremony that is commonly used in Indigenous cultures for self-care and community. Youth who register for this group will receive workshop materials in the mail, so sign up soon!
Register HERE.
This group is now full! Please email online@foundrybc.ca to be added to the waitlist for future groups.
May 17th – June 21st. 6:00pm-7:30pm
This virtual group is open to youth between the ages of 19-24 living in BC who self identify as experiencing past trauma, and are feeling the impacts of these experiences. Symptoms of trauma can include, but are not limited to: anxiety, exhaustion, numbness, isolation, low self worth, fear, anger, etc.) This group will support youth who feel a sense of readiness and would like to develop new coping strategies. This group is based on the Seeking Safety curriculum by Lisa Najavitis.
Register HERE.
Making Sense of Pain
This group is now full! Please email online@foundrybc.ca to be added to a waitlist for future groups.
Developed in partnership with Pain BC, “Making Sense of Pain” is a group for all youth ages 12-24 who have chronic pain. Chronic pain is any type of pain that has persisted for 3+ months; it could include back pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, etc. Join this group to connect with others who “get it”. Learn about why we experience pain and what we can do about it. Facilitated by a counsellor and a peer support worker who lives with chronic pain.
Every Tuesday from May 16th to July 18th from 3:30pm – 5:30pm (flexible if you can’t attend the full session).
Register HERE.
Wednesdays starting March 15th through until May 3rd. 6:00pm-7:30pm
This group is an open group! Feel free to join us any Wednesday.
Queer Cafe invites Young people ages 16-24 who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Two-Spirit, Intersex, Asexual/Aromantic/Agender, or another gender or sexual orientation minority) to meet over Zoom for activities and conversation in a supportive, inclusive environment. Queer Café is facilitated by a counsellor and youth peer support worker from Foundry Virtual BC and Foundry Cariboo Chilcotin who identify as 2SLGBTQIA+ and features a mix of activities, discussion, games, workshops, and more!
Register HERE.
Chronic Pain
This group is currently closed. You are still welcome to sign up if you’re interested and we will contact you if another group starts.
Please contact Miranda and Cass with any questions.
Miranda: mtymoschuk@foundrybc.ca
Cass: clucke@foundrybc.ca
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Empowering gender diverse youth to live well with pain!
Thursdays 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Starting Thursday, January 26th 2023 – Ending Thursday, March 23rd 2023
Ages 16-24
Who is this group for? Gender diverse (Two-Spirit, non-binary, trans, +) youth who live with chronic pain.
Developed in partnership with Pain BC, Chronic Pain 101 is a group for gender diverse youth ages 16-24. Chronic pain is experienced as any type of pain that has persisted for 3+ months; it could include back pain, fibromyalgia, migraines, etc. Join this group to connect with other gender diverse peers while learning about why we experience pain and what we can do about it. This group is facilitated by peer support workers who live with chronic pain and a clinical counsellor from Pain BC.
Register HERE.
Brave In Your Body
This cohort has now finished! Please email online@foundrybc.ca to be put on the waitlist for the next group!
Join Foundry Virtual for a free 5- week body image group where you will gain tools/skills and explore your relationship to your body. This group is for anyone who has felt the pressure to look a certain way based on society’s standards or is struggling with body image, diet culture or weight stigma.
Details:
Youth ages 15-24
February 7th – March 7th, weekly Group sessions take place online from 4:30pm-6:00pm
Register HERE.
Let’s Talk Substances!
This group is now on hold.
Questions? Please email online@foundrybc.ca
Let’s talk about substance use! Let’s Talk Substances is a safe space and support group for youth ages 16-24 who are using substances (e.g., alcohol, drugs, smoking, and vaping.) The goal of the group is to create space for youth to learn skills, explore coping strategies and talk with others who ‘get it.’ All youth are welcome to join – there is no judgement here!
Peer support workers leading this group are trained in SMART Recovery.
Mondays, 6:30-7:30 pm
Ongoing drop-in. Join whenever!
Questions? Please email Daphnee at dlevesque@foundrybc.ca
Register HERE.
Join us for a virtual art workshop on Monday, March 6th, 2023 from 6:30-7:30pm. Please register before February 20th to receive your clay kit in the mail. There are a limited number of clay kits, so please register soon!
This is a bake-free clay activity. All youth 16-24 are welcome to join!
Register HERE.
Indigenous Cultural Connections: Medicine Bag Workshop
Tue Feb 7th, 2023 5:30pm – 6:30pm PST
Come join us in this safe fun space to learn about the medicine wheel (Anishinaabeg teachings), the sacred medicines, cultural appropriation versus appreciation, and TRC 94 calls to action. The first 10 people to sign up before January 16th, 2023 will get their own medicine bag in the mail to follow along. However, you don’t need a Medicine Bag to join!
For questions, please email Bronwyn at blawrence@foundrybc.ca
Register HERE.
Art Exploration for Caregivers (ON HOLD)
This group is now on hold!
Caregivers Group alert! Foundry Virtual’s Art Exploration group is back for a holiday season! Join Brenda, a family peer supporter with Foundry Virtual BC, as we use art to experience mindfulness, self-care, community, and focus on exploring our values and personal identity. This virtual group will support caregivers of youth ages 12-24 gain skills to explore their own caregiving values and self-care in a safe and creative environment. No previous art skills are required! To register please visit
Questions? Email Brenda at Bmattman@foundrybc.ca
Register HERE.
THIS GROUP IS NOW ON HOLD. Please email online@foundrybc.ca to be put on the waitlist for a future cohort.
YMIND is back! This group is a free seven week group program for youth ages 18-24 who are experiencing symptoms of mild-moderate anxiety. Youth will be introduced to and practice evidence based approaches to coping with anxiety within a group of 8-12 people.
To register please email online@foundrybc.ca
MindMe
This group is now on hold until Fall 2023. Please email to register for a future cohort!
Youth aged between 14-17 years old who are experiencing low to moderate struggles with depression and/or anxiety are invited to join MindMe!
Mind Me aims to support youth who are dealing with low mood or anxiety by helping them learn more about worries, anxiety, and depression and understand the impact of emotions and thoughts on our well-being. It also aims to facilitate the learning of strategies to cope with challenging emotions, worries and situations that can feel overwhelming.
Questions? Email online@foundrybc.ca
Register HERE.
Two-Spirit Peer Healing Circle
ON HOLD: Stay tuned for future groups!
Led by peers, for peers, we are excited to offer a new monthly Two-Spirit Healing Circle from 6:00-7:30pm. This group will run on an ongoing drop-in basis, monthly. We are honoured to have Elder Bon Fabian facilitate this group alongside Foundry BC Virtual’s Indigenous Navigation and Wellness provider, Raymond Johnson-Brown. Each month the group will come together to share stories, provide emotional support, explore resources and build a community together for two spirit identities.
Register HERE.
This virtual group offered by UNYA’s 2- Spirit Collective (Urban Native Youth Association) and Foundry Virtual BC. This group is for any and all identifying LGBTQ2A+ youth ages 12-24 residing in BC, who are looking to connect virtually with others in a safe, online, environment.
Provincial Eating Disorder Awareness Week (PEDAW) is coming up February 1-7th, 2022. To kick-off the week, please join Foundry BC and Foundry Penticton for a virtual discussion led by 4 individuals with lived experience and a dietitian focusing on disordered eating, eating disorders, and body image struggles. This event is open to everyone ages 12-24 who is questioning their relationship with food, movement, or their body and/or identifies as having an eating disorder.
Calling all B.C. youth ages 12 – 24! Join Foundry virtual and Foundry Penticton for a spectacular virtual night of drag performances. Join by chat, video, or audio through Zoom! Drag/costumes are optional – but encouraged! Please register at foundrybc.ca/virtual/youth-groups or email Bronwyn at blawrence@foundrybc.ca with any questions.
Beauty of Life In Psychosis (BLIP) is a six-session art and creativity group for young people who self-identify as experiencing psychosis and/or voices, visions and unique beliefs. Sessions will be held over Zoom, and will involve guided creative exercises as well as time to talk, share, and work on your own creative projects. After the group is completed, participants will also have the option to have their work exhibited online. Gift cards to purchase art supplies will be provided!
BLIP is open to young people ages 12-24 who live anywhere in BC, and we’ll be running the group multiple times. To register, click the button below. After you complete the registration form, one of the group facilitators will contact you to follow up.
Learn more about BLIP
The BLIP youth group was born out of the idea that people who experience psychosis, hear voices, see visions, and/or have unique beliefs need a safe(r) space to socialize, get creative, and express ourselves. Our goal is to encourage participants to find beauty, hope, and community within or around these experiences. With support from Foundry Virtual BC and Vancouver Coastal Health’s Consumer Initiative Fund, that idea became a reality. Using these funds, we were able to collaborate with Paint Spot and provide free art supplies for everyone in the group.
Learn more about BLIP and view some of the artwork created with the first cohort of the BLIP youth group by reading the blog post, Discovering Beauty of Life in Psychosis.
Foundry Virtual BC Q & A (ON HOLD)
ON HOLD
Do you want to learn more about Foundry? Have questions about Foundry’s virtual services? Join our monthly Q&A session hosted on Zoom. Service providers will review Foundry Virtual BC’s current services, the Foundry BC app, and leave time for questions from attendees. If you are interested in setting up a Foundry Virtual BC presentation to your organization, please email Sierra at sturner@foundrybc.ca
Register HERE.
Every Body is a Beach Body: A workshop/panel on body image and diet culture
NEW WORKSHOP! Does the upcoming summer season bring a sense of stress, discomfort, dread and fear? Are you feeling the pressure to change your body/eating patterns or feel overwhelmed by the increase of diet talk? Join us June 8th for a workshop and panel featuring Foundry Virtual service providers and Registered Dietitians Ali Eberhardt and Hannah Robinson from St. Paul’s Hospital’s Eating Disorder Program. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions to panelists and learn tips/tricks on navigating diet culture pressures as we enter summer.
Can’t make it to the workshop but curious about this topic? Ali and Hannah also host the Let Us Eat Cake podcast (@eatcakepod), a podcast dedicated to ditching diet culture and taking fatphobia head on! Check them out and have a listen!
Register HERE.