The Community Helpline for Incarcerated People (CHIP)

CHIP is a free resource that provides trauma-informed, non-stigmatizing emotional support and resource referrals to people incarcerated in federal prisons in BC. To support continuity of care, the line is also available to those on parole within BC.

Commitments to Action

The principles that guide our work

Dignity for All

Regardless of what kind of harms someone has caused, we accept and walk alongside all people.

We do not abandon people—if we cannot assist or work with someone, we commit to doing our best to make sure they are supported by others.

While holding this ethic of "no one is disposable," we hold the complexity that, in order to do good work, we must centre the experiences of survivors and those impacted by harm.

We, as a project, commit to holding and centring those impacted by harm while dismantling the "victim"/"perpetrator" binary.

Contact Us

Part of our ethical framework is a commitment to share and mentor other projects that might want to start their own helpline.

If you are interested in connecting, receiving more information on our training materials or requesting any other additional supports, please reach out to us at:

Close-up of inmate using a prison phone

Territory Acknowledgment

This project was born over many years and its inception spans many territories. We extend our deepest appreciation for the lands that have nurtured and sustained us through our work, and the people who have been our generous hosts.

We commit to humility, flexibility, honesty, and accountability. When invited, we amplify the voices of those already doing this work—especially marginalized communities, racialized people, women and gender-diverse people, family members, and other unrecognized and unpaid supports.

Beyond expressing our gratitude for the lands on which this work was conceived and developed and the communities who have taken care of those lands from the beginning, as a project, we strive to put our commitments to anti-colonialism into practice by listening, learning and action-based projects, like this one.