As part of their outreach program, Camosun College Massage Therapy students have partnered with New Roads Therapeutic Recovery Community in View Royal to offer complimentary messages to residents in treatment. New Roads is open to men over the age of 19 who are recovering from substance misuse.
The Massage Therapy program typically requires outreach during each term, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic this is the first term that these particular students have been able to participate. So far the response has been very positive.
“The word was ‘overwhelmed’ with how much positivity they felt from it,” says Camosun Massage Clinic and Athletic and Exercise Therapy Clinic manager Katie Olson. “I don’t think this group of students has had an opportunity to use their skills in that setting yet. Usually the expectation is that students will do one of these outreaches a term, but many of them have asked if they can be a part of the next one, because it just went so well for them.”
Students of the Massage Therapy program regularly offer massages for students, staff, and the public. Olson says the outreach with New Roads is exciting because they are able to offer massage therapy to those who would normally not consider it as an option, and it gives students a meaningful opportunity to see their studies come to fruition.
“With the stuff they’re dealing with they wouldn’t think, ‘It would be great if I could book a massage,’ not even thinking about the expense of it, but it just might not be something to cross their minds,” says Olson. “So having an outreach like this set up, it’s an opportunity on both ends.”
As for the students, Olson says that everyone involved took the time to provide positive feedback about their experience at New Roads.
“I think they felt really good about what they were doing for the community and I think it also showed them how much skill they already have,” says Olson. “They were able to give pain relief to people and have such amazing feedback from patients who hadn’t had a massage before, so I think on both sides it just really worked out.”
Nicole Ross, a student who participated in the outreach, says that treating people outside of their usual client population, hearing their stories, and getting to be personable is all part of what made it such a great experience. Ross has since signed up for all of the upcoming outreach initiatives, as have most of her classmates.
“I honestly have to say [my favourite part of the experience was] seeing their faces at the end of it, seeing how happy a lot of them were,” says Ross. “And we even had a couple come back for a second massage. Just seeing what you actually did to make their day, and their situations that aren’t always ideal, a bit better, that was probably the best part about it.”
Olson says that those involved in the program are excited to be able to make outreach part of their schedule again and to continue to provide impactful experiences for students and community members. She says they also look forward to seeing some new outreach plans being actualized this spring.
“Now that different mandates are being lifted and more opportunities can happen,” she says, “for the spring there are a lot of things that will be coming up.”