October 7, 2026
Introduction to VAST
In 1986, a small group of human rights activists and mental health workers gathered in Vancouver to support the flood of refugees arriving from the armed conflicts in South and Central America. They founded the Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture (VAST), and this dedicated group of volunteers built what would become BC’s largest center for refugee mental health. Today, VAST works with refugees from over 100 countries in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America. Our programs and services are offered in over a dozen languages, including Arabic, Farsi, French, Mandarin, and Spanish. We support the mental health of refugees who arrive in British Columbia with psychological trauma as a result of torture, political violence, and other forms of persecution on the basis of race, religion, gender identity, and sexual orientation.
We facilitate the healing process for 2500 survivors of torture each year, and their families, by providing accessible and culturally appropriate individual and group counselling and therapeutic services. We also provide psycho-legal documentation and support refugee claimants through the asylum process, and are called in to work with Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada when their particular situation requires our support. Canada is a signatory to the UN’s Convention Against Torture (1985), and the Refugee Convention (1951), both of which oblige us to protect the rights of survivors of forced displacement, including the Right to Rehabilitation, and to provide safe haven to those who at risk of persecution. VAST is an active member of the International Rehabilitation Council for Victims of Torture (IRCT), and the Canadian Network for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (CNSTT).
Founded on the conviction that ‘healing is an act of resistance’, for 40 years VAST has employed a province-leading model of trauma-informed mental health service provision. Our work has created and sustained a resilient, inclusive community amongst newcomers, and over More than half of our team identify as survivors themselves, and their voices are represented at all levels of our organization. We do not believe in working alone, and our mission supports a range of advocacy and capacity building activities to strengthen BC’s mental health sector for newcomers, and encourage understanding of our work amongst government institutions. In so doing, we relieve demand on the BC healthcare sector, especially in dense urban and more isolated rural areas of BC. VAST is more than a healthcare provider and is known throughout BC as a convener of voices with lived experience of torture and trauma, and an influential advisor and trainer to multiple levels of policy makers and practitioners.
Voices Against Torture (VAT) Journal
Organization: Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture (VAST)
Position Type: part-time contract
Location: Vancouver, BC / Hybrid
Contract End Date: March 31, 2027
Compensation: $35/hr.
About VAST and Voices Against Torture - The Vancouver Association for Survivors of Torture (VAST) supports refugees, newcomers, and survivors of torture through mental health services, community engagement, education, and advocacy.
Launched in 2020, Voices Against Torture (VAT) is an interdisciplinary journal that creates space for conversations about refugee mental health, trauma-informed healing, displacement, human rights, and social justice.
With support from the Canada Periodical Fund, VAST is expanding VAT's editorial and production capacity through mentorship, professional development, improved publishing systems, and increased participation from communities historically excluded from Canadian publishing.
Position Overview
VAST is seeking an organized, creative, and collaborative Production Coordinator to lead the day-to-day implementation of VAT's editorial and production mentorship project.
The Production Coordinator will work closely with VAST's management team, editorial board, contributors, mentors, consultants, and designers to coordinate project activities, support publication development, and strengthen the journal's long-term sustainability.
This role combines project management, publishing coordination, community engagement, and administrative responsibilities.
Key Responsibilities
Project Coordination
- Develop and maintain project workplans, timelines, and activity schedules.
- Coordinate the implementation of editorial and production mentorship activities.
- Support recruitment and onboarding of participating writers, editors, researchers, designers, and community contributors.
- Organize meetings, workshops, mentorship circles, and training sessions.
- Maintain communication with project staff, consultants, mentors, and participants.
- Track project milestones, deliverables, participation, and progress.
Editorial and Production Support
- Work with the Editor-in-Chief and editorial board to coordinate content development and production schedules.
- Support communication with authors, peer reviewers, editors, and publishing mentors.
- Coordinate manuscript submissions, revisions, proofreading, layout, and publication preparation.
- Help improve editorial policies, submission guidelines, and production workflows.
- Ensure contributors receive clear instructions, timelines, and appropriate support.
- Coordinate with designers and technical contractors on website and publication development.
Mentorship and Capacity Building
- Coordinate editorial and production training sessions.
- Support mentorship circles and small-group learning opportunities.
- Maintain participant records, attendance, and feedback.
- Help connect emerging contributors with experienced publishing professionals.
- Support learning opportunities in ethical storytelling, trauma-informed publishing, design, and dissemination.
Outreach and Journal Development
- Support implementation of audience engagement and outreach activities.
- Coordinate communication with community partners, academic institutions, and publishing organizations.
- Work with consultants to develop sustainable journal operations and growth strategies.
- Support improvements to the journal's digital presence and visibility.
Monitoring and Reporting
- Maintain accurate project records and activity documentation.
- Gather participant feedback and track project outcomes.
- Assist with financial tracking and documentation in coordination with VAST's management team.
- Prepare progress updates and contribute to the final project report.
- Document recommendations for future journal development.
Qualifications And Experience
- Master’s degree in Journalism, Media Studies, Communication, or a related field
- Experience in project coordination, publishing, communications, nonprofit programming, or a related field.
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Familiarity with editorial workflows, digital publications, or content development.
- Experience coordinating consultants, volunteers, contributors, or multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently.
- Proficiency with collaborative digital tools and document management systems.
- Commitment to equity, inclusion, human rights, and trauma-informed practice.
Assets
- Experience working with academic journals, magazines, independent publications, or community media.
- Knowledge of refugee, newcomer, Indigenous, racialized, or survivor communities.
- Experience coordinating mentorship or professional development programs.
- Familiarity with WordPress, Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud, or similar publishing tools.
- Additional language skills and immersive cultural experiences are an asset
- Living and eligible to work in Canada
How To Apply
Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter describing your relevant experience and interest in Voices Against Torture to:
hr@vastbc.ca (PDF format; please include your name in the file title)
Subject: Application – VAT Production Coordinator
VAST welcomes applications from individuals with diverse professional, cultural, and lived experiences. We particularly encourage applications from newcomers, refugees, Indigenous and racialized communities, 2SLGBTQI+ individuals, people with disabilities, and individuals with lived experience of displacement or systemic exclusion.
Applicants are not required to disclose personal experiences of trauma or displacement.
