Dr. Nancy Hall Public Policy Leadership Award—2016 Winner

Gary Thandi

This year’s award went to VOICE contributor Gary Thandi. Gary’s work with Moving Forward Family Services was acknowledged for having improved the lives of countless people living with mental illness or a substance use problem, as well as any family who may also be impacted by their loved one’s difficulties.

“I am honoured to have received this award on behalf of the Moving Forward team,” Thandi said. “I also wish to thank Dr. Nancy Hall for the great legacy she created. I hope to honour that legacy with my continued efforts to impact public policy.”

The award was presented to Thandi by Surrey NDP MLA Sue Hammell, who currently serves as critic for Mental Health and Addictions.

Gary earned his BSW in 2000 and his MSW in 2008, and is currently working on his Doctorate in Education through Simon Fraser University and the focus of his studies is on community-university engagement and the role it can play in creating more civically-engaged citizens.

“Moving Forward is very much based on the concept of community-university engagement and the agency represents a paradigmatic shift in program delivery and social work / counselling practices,” Gary explains. “Community-university engagement is basically seeing the university as a major member of a community, and having its population – students and professors – support the very same community that it’s very much a part of. Put simply, it’s community helping community.”

He adds: “We take highly skilled, fully supervised and insured Masters degree counselling psychology and social work students and deliver counselling services to those who would either be sitting for months or years on a wait list, or who could not afford to pay for private counselling. We use donated space which is mostly under-used, especially on evenings and weekends, to see our clients. Without a major expense like space and utilities, and with students on practicum who do not get paid yet receive great opportunities to work with diverse clients, we can keep our costs very low.”

The agency is seeing about 500 clients per week and receives about 20 new referrals and self-referrals per week. It is meeting a huge community need that would otherwise go unmet – meaning many children, youth, adults, seniors and families would suffer if it weren’t for Moving Forward Family Services. All services are currently being provided without any government funding – while open to such funding the agency does not rely on it to sustain its operations.