The founder of a Metro Vancouver addictions treatment centre is speaking publicly for the first time after being forced to shut down programs.
It follows a series of complaints against John Volken Academy that included a student being gored by a water buffalo at the centre’s Langley farm and talking bans.
For more than twenty years, the academy, which has its main centre and dorms in Surrey, said it has been helping people rebuild their lives.
But the charity has faced a number of complaints including failing to protect residents from abuse and neglect and forcing students to sit on a bench for hours.
“(Students) have benches in sports games. We bench them when they need cooling off periods. And the government claims that’s humiliating,” said academy founder, John Volken.
Andrea Chambers, the manager of John Volken Academy, said that often “the speaking bans were implemented because of conflicts between two individuals.”
She said both the speaking bans and benching practices have been eliminated.
The academy also admits a student was gored by a water buffalo at its farm in Langley where students learn life skills as part of their recovery, but said the individual involved was not following safety protocols at the time.
“He knew, for one, he was never to be in a pen by himself,” said Dorian Pierson, manager of John Volken Farm.
Pointing to a box of approximately 900 letters of support, an emotional Volken told a news conference his charity has done its best to help people at the lowest point in their lives.
“Most of you went through a normal life. Our students had to go from scratch. They experienced being downtrodden,” he said through tears. “We have to lift them up.”
The academy also blames the province for the death of a former student who Chambers said had left the program but then wanted to return.
“Because of the closure, we weren’t able to bring him back in. Shortly after that he overdosed and was put on life support and ultimately died,” a tearful Chambers explained.
Health Minister Josie Osborne was not available for comment, but a statement from her ministry said that any loss of life is tragic.
The statement said that, “John Volken Academy is not in compliance with the Community Care and Assisted Living Act and Assisted Living Regulation in terms of supporting and protecting its residents.”
The statement also reads, “A priority for the Ministry of Health is to improve oversight and accountability of supportive recovery residences and we will continue to employ all means available to ensure the health and safety of assisted living residents in registered facilities throughout the province.”
‘We empathize with the individuals who resided at the John Volken Academy, especially as they navigate this difficult time on their journeys to recover from substance use,” the statement said.
“The John Volken Academy is not publicly funded. It does not receive funding from the Canadian Mental Health Association or a health authority. Therefore, the closure does not impact the availability of publicly funded substance use beds,” according to the ministry statement.
Meanwhile, Volken said the ministry’s approach to addictions is failing.
“The safe injection sites. all those things don’t work. They don’t work,” the 81-year-old Volken said.
The academy is still operating a skills training program for about a dozen students, but that will end as the building has been sold for about $78 million. All the money from the sale goes back into the foundation and will be used to fund other programs run by the John Volken Academy, said Chambers.
The farm continues to operate, and former students are now paid workers.
One former student, Jannan Haimour, spoke at Tuesday’s news conference. She said the John Volken Academy program turned her life around.
“I don’t’ want to die anymore. I want to live. And it’s because of all of this support and this entire program,” said Jannan Haimour.
