CANMORE – Anyone who has ever worked in the hospitality industry knows it can be a difficult and demanding job, yet up until recently talking about the industry’s dark side was considered a relatively taboo subject.
In an effort to change that, local restaurant owner Todd Kunst and the Community Helpers program have organized a workshop to address some of the industry’s most prevalent issues including drug and alcohol abuse, suicide and mental health.
“It’s always been an issue, but people are starting to talk about it more, so anything that brings more awareness to it I think is beneficial to the community and the industry as well,” said Kunst, who owns Sage Bistro and Wine Lounge on Bow Valley Trail.
In the restaurant industry he said the use of drugs and alcohol is much more prevalent than other industries because of the transient nature of the business and the number of young people who are employed.
“Lots of people, especially in the Bow Valley, are away from home for the first time and experimenting with different things and over time that can lead to addictions and mental health issues,” said Kunst.
The aim of the full-day training session is to teach employees how to help each other with their mental health and connect them with resources in the community.
“The idea is to teach individuals in the valley what the community resources are in the areas of addiction and mental health, suicide prevention and intimate partner violence,” said Yvonne Law, Banff’s community wellness programmer.
She described the full-day course as a “peer support program.”
“People helping people is a super powerful tool,” said Law. “No one has to be an expert in order to give someone some ideas and direction on where they can get further help.”
Kunst said several of his own employees will be attending the workshop and hopes more people from the hospitality industry will join.
“The more people that are sprinkled throughout the industry the better,” said Kunst.
The full-day course will be held on Jan. 29 in at Sage Bistro in Canmore. It is funded by Alberta Health Services and directed by the Town of Banff. Eligible participants will receive a $50 honorarium.
For more information and to register email [email protected] or call Law at 403-762-1119. You can also check out the organization's Facebook page at Community Wellness in the Bow Valley.
