Looking Out for Each Other: On the Ground and After 

Team Rubicon Canada volunteers are often called to respond when communities are facing loss, uncertainty and disruption. 

The work can involve clearing debris, assisting homeowners and helping people take first steps toward recovery after a disaster. While the physical labour is visible, the emotional weight of those moments is not always as apparent. Volunteers aren’t only supporting affected communities, they are also navigating those experiences themselves and looking out for one another in the process. 

Mental Health First Aid is one way the organization prepares its volunteers for that reality. 

“For me, it means being able to respond to people, perhaps notice what is not going well, being able to ask people if they’re okay,” said Jennifer Goodfellow, a senior associate of operations with Team Rubicon Canada. “And then really being open to listening and helping people find the support that they need.” 

Mental Health First Aid, often referred to as MHFA, is a training course that teaches participants how to recognize signs of mental health challenges and respond in a supportive way. It doesn’t train people to diagnose or treat conditions, but instead focuses on early intervention through listening, reassurance and connecting individuals to appropriate resources. 

“You’re not providing people with counselling or anything like that,” Goodfellow said. “You just want to be there to help people find the support that they need.” 

That approach is particularly important in an organization like Team Rubicon Canada, where volunteers are placed in environments where they may encounter individuals experiencing trauma. 

Goodfellow said her interest in the course grew after hearing volunteers reflect on their experiences following a deployment in Jasper, AB after wildfires destroyed a significant portion of the town in 2024. 

“We say that we’re there to respond and help people on what could be one of their worst days,” she said. “And this was truly proof of people experiencing what it was like.” 

She recalled volunteers describing moments where homeowners were seeing their properties for the first time after a disaster, sometimes with nothing left but debris. Others spoke about helping people recover personal items from the remains of their homes, offering a sense of closure during an overwhelming time. 

Those experiences can have a lasting impact, even after a deployment ends. 

“There’s a thing called post-operation blues,” Goodfellow said. “You’re truly a family for perhaps seven days and then when it’s all done, you’re going back to your regular life.” 

Returning home after an intense deployment can be difficult, she said, particularly when friends and family may not fully understand what volunteers have experienced. 

“People can sometimes feel alone,” she said. 

Mental Health First Aid training helps volunteers recognize when someone may be struggling and gives them the tools to respond. 

During one deployment, Goodfellow noticed a fellow volunteer becoming withdrawn. 

“They were normally very active, but they were kind of self-isolating,” she said. “So I was concerned and asked if we could talk.” 

While the volunteer reassured her that they were fine, Goodfellow said she continued to keep an eye on them and asked another team member to do the same. 

“I just wanted to make sure that they were in a good place,” she said. 

The skills learned through the course can also extend beyond deployments. 

“The very next day after the course, I found myself using practice when speaking to one of my kids,” she said. “I just needed to listen more genuinely and not try to solve.” 

That shift in approach is one of the key takeaways of the training, along with an increased awareness of available resources and how to access them. 

“There really are a lot of services,” Goodfellow said. “It’s just being able to find them.” 

Despite the time commitment, she said the course is worthwhile for anyone who has the opportunity to take it. 

“People are busy and they might not want to commit to a full weekend,” she said. “But you will learn something about yourself. You will definitely learn how to help others.” 

In a role that requires both practical skills and emotional awareness, that kind of preparation can be just as important as the work on the ground.