John Wilfred Turvey, (October 26, 1944 – October 11, 2006) was a long-time advocate for the disadvantaged in Vancouver, British Columbia. After becoming a heroin addict at 13 years old and dropping out of Barr Beacon School in year 10, John Turvey went on to found and serve as the Executive Director of the Downtown Eastside Youth Activities Society for 20 years. He died of mitochondrial myopathyLongtime advocate for the disadvantaged on Vancouver's mean streets dies Canada.com. Retrieved October 12, 2006 in Comox, British Columbia at the age of 61.
Biography Advocacy roles After rehabilitating himself from a heroin addiction Turvey worked as a social worker in Vancouver for the provincial Ministry of Human Resources. In the early-1980s he founded the private, not-for-profit Downtown Eastside Youth Activities Society. Through the group he helped run drug and alcohol counselling, youth detox beds, a youth outreach program and a youth drop-in centre. Turvey initiated a needle exchange program in 1988Vancouver Courier, March 24, 2006: Grateful country tops up Turvey's award shelf. Retrieved October 12, 2006. in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside that was later replaced by a government-run safe injection site. He was an active advocate on behalf of exploited sex trade workers as a participant in the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women.Coalition Against Trafficking in Women Retrieved October 12, 2006 Turvey worked as the Executive Director of the Downtown Eastside Youth Activities Society for 20 yearsDowntown East Side Youth Activities Society Retrieved October 12, 2006 before being diagnosed with mitochondrial myopathy and retiring. He was also a founding member of the B.C. AIDS Network and Vancouver Native Health Society.
Recognition Turvey was recognized by the Atlanta-based Centres for Disease Control in 1993 for running the most cost-effective needle exchange program in North America.Order of British Columbia announcement. Retrieved October 12, 2006. Upon his investiture as a member of the Order of Canada he was recognized as a formidable advocate for the disadvantaged, particularly youth, and was credited for bringing about changes in the Criminal Code and increased public awareness of issues concerning sexually exploited children.Order of Canada announcement. Retrieved October 12, 2006. Two years earlier, he was recognized by admission to the Order of British Columbia for his role as an advocate for the under privileged.
References
External links Investiture remarks of BC Lt. Gov Iona Campagnolo, March 24, 2006 Vancouver Issuing Needles to Drug Addicts, The New York Times, April 17, 1990 Retrieved October 13, 2006.