Young Bears Lodge

The Young Bears Lodge is a culturally-based, live-in empowerment program focused on recovery from alcohol and drug misuse/abuse for Indigenous youth ages 13-18 years old. The Lodge is a sixteen-week voluntary co-ed residential program. We have five beds and four intake phases. To request an intake and/or to make a referral, please contact Young Bears Lodge directly. Youth can self-refer to the program, or be referred by their family, or involved agencies within the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority region. Once the Intake & Referral Counsellor receives a completed referral package, the YBL team reviews it to ensure that the youth fits within our mandate. Staff will then set up a time to meet with the youth and his/her support people to discuss the program and the needs of the youth, to ensure that the Lodge is a good fit for the youth's current needs. Pending suitability and space availability, a youth is admitted to begin a two-week orientation phase during which, she/he works closely with staff to get oriented to the program and become 'group ready'. This period also provides an opportunity for the youth to decide if she/he is able to commit to a four-month program. Once the youth has confirmed this, the youth will work with YBL staff to develop a care plan and an after care plan, and identify the support person(s) who will be committed to supporting the youth during and after their stay at YBL.