Phoenix Centre’s Out of the Ashes bursary looking for applicants and donors

KAMLOOPS — In 2008, Leann and Ron Kopytko established the Out of the Ashes bursary, which is available to people who have experienced substance use and addiction, and want to make positive changes in their lives. Over the past 14 years, the bursary has been awarded 41 times and has distributed more than $94,000 to its recipients.

On Wednesday, CFJC Today spoke with last year’s bursary recipient to find out about the life-changing potential this bursary has.

Melanie Hedch says the pull she felt to enter the Human Service Diploma program was magnetic.

“I’ve always been interested in helping people who are marginalized,” Hedch explains to CFJC Today. “Specifically, those at risk of experiencing or currently experiencing homelessness, as well as those with mental health or substance use issues.”

As a recipient of the Phoenix Centre’s Out of the Ashes bursary, Melanie has been able to turn her passion into an education. She’s using her lived expertise to try and connect those in need of help with the resources available to them — much like her mentor once did for her.

“Thanks to Katherine McParland, I was able to gain housing,” Melanie says. “It’s been more of a launching pad. I looked around and all the people that I saw were very inspirational to me. I saw how far they came — most of them had lived experience as well.”

Melanie Hedch is a recipient of the ‘Out of the Ashes’ bursary. – Image Credit: CFJC Today

Lorry-Ann Austin is one of Melanie’s instructors at TRU and sees the incredible value that lived expertise can have in a social work setting.

“Mel is absolutely brilliant. Her lived expertise — the way she’s able to channel that to understand the very real and complex problems that people on the ground face, while connecting that to the higher-level policy decision that impacts people is amazing.”

The bursary is open to Kamloops residents who are actively pursuing recovery from substance use and are enrolled in an education or training program. This year, the selection committee has opened up the eligibility requirements to be more inclusive.

“It used to be, years ago, that our criteria was abstinence,” bursary founder Leann Kopytko explains. “We recognized, with harm reduction, that’s an important change for us. We want to see people have a commitment to their own journey. That looks differently for different people.”

There are now two age categories for people to apply — one for folks 17-to-29 years of age, and one for people over 30. As of today, Kopytko says applications are open and folks looking to support the bursary are also needed.

“If people are out there in the community and they know someone that’s been working hard to change, and has been going to school and wants something better for themselves, and they’re able to apply, please look at the criteria, spread the word,” Kopytko says.

For Melanie, that lived experience has given her the understanding and compassion to try and help others — as she knows what it’s like to get that helping hand.

“Everyone has their own path and they may have their struggles,” Hedch says. “They also have desires and passions and they can also make a difference. I’m just glad that I found my own recovery.”