Community Assistance Team

Janel Dodd, Tracey Giroux and Josh Dillon, members of the University of Alberta Community Assistance Team, with their van.

The Community Assistance Team (CAT) is a partnership between University of Alberta Protective Services, the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society and the Mustard Seed Society.

The CAT works with members of university and community organizations to connect clients to the resources that best address their needs. This is done with a person-centred, consent based approach, with navigation being the critical aspect of the response to the community member.

The team helps individuals find and navigate support for help with but not limited to houselessness, substance use, mental health, identification and financial support systems. The partnership with the Mustard Seed Society began in August of 2022 and the partnership with the Bent Arrow Traditional Healing Society began in August of 2023. Both partnerships aim to provide services alongside similar agencies to ensure continuity of care across the city. The goal is to help those in need of help by connecting them to appropriate community services thereby improving quality of life and reducing strains on other agencies. In turn, we hope that connecting people with the help they want and need will positively impact our own University of Alberta community.

U of A Protective Services is dedicated to helping others, regardless of their affiliation, and contributing to a safe campus community. By exploring new opportunities and partnerships through new ways of problem-solving, we look forward to better helping others where they find themselves at.