Housing Supports Forum 2024 Sessions
Afternoon Session: 1:30pm-4:30pm
Quality Improvement Technical Training, Built for Zero
Quality Improvement Technical Training, Built for Zero
Speakers:
Marie Morrison
Lori Richer
Description: This training focuses on the practice, tools, and discipline of change management and quality improvement approaches. Program practitioners and leaders will learn how to implement PDSA approaches in their work. This extended session on Wednesday will feature detailed discussions as well as hands-on examples and exercises to empower participants and gain new skills and insights into the process of quality improvement.
Welcome Reception 5pm-7pm
Welcome And Opening Prayer 9am-9:30am
Opening Session 9:30am-10:15am
Navigation And Support Centre, Government of Alberta
Navigation And Support Centre, Government of Alberta
Robyn Cochrane (Executive Director, Seniors, Community And Social Services (SCSS))
Christa Gilroy (Manager, Seniors, Community And Social Services (SCSS))
Description: This presentation, led by the government of Alberta on the Navigation and Support Centre, features speakers Robyn Cochrane, executive director of SCSS, and Christa Gilroy, manager of SCSS. Learn about the NSC, the services embedded within, and its role in connecting individuals to services and providers to homelessness solutions.
Concurrent Sessions 10:30am-12pm
Quality Improvement Technical Training, Built for Zero
Quality Improvement Technical Training, Built for Zero
Speakers:
Marie Morrison
Lori Richer
Description: This training focuses on the practice, tools, and discipline of change management and quality improvement approaches. Program practitioners and leaders will learn how to implement PDSA approaches in their work.
Bridge Housing Panel: Role & Place Within Homeless Serving System, Boyle Street Community Services. NiGiNan Housing Ventures
Bridge Housing Panel: Role & Place Within Homeless Serving System, Boyle Street Community Services. NiGiNan Housing Ventures
Speakers:
Jake Ramer (Homeward Trust Edmonton)
Beth Muller (Boyle St Community Services)
Cala Hills + Tiana Machado (NiGiNan Housing Ventures)
Description: This panel discussion focuses on Bridge Housing, highlighting its role within the system framework, comparing Bridge Housing to different shelter models, and discussing approaches to supporting individuals as they transition into permanent housing from the Bridge setting.
Measuring Housing Insecurity, Rural Development Network
Measuring Housing Insecurity, Rural Development Network
Speakers:
Lisa Belanger (CEO, Rural Development Network)
Linda Bernicki (Director of Community Development and Indigenous Engagement)
Sydney Stenekes (Director of Homelessness Initiatives)
Description: This session addresses the housing and homelessness crisis across Alberta. Our speakers, including Lisa Belanger, CEO of Rural Development Network, Linda Bernini, director of Community Development and Indigenous Engagement, and Sydney Stearns, Director Of Homelessness Initiatives, will discuss how data and partnerships can play a crucial role in addressing this pressing issue.
Evolving Responsibilities & Expectations In Governance Of System Planning Organizations, Homeward Trust Edmonton
Evolving Responsibilities & Expectations In Governance Of System Planning Organizations, Homeward Trust Edmonton
Speakers:
Susan McGee (CEO, Homeward Trust Edmonton)
Description: Led by Homeward Trust Edmonton’s CEO, this session discusses the Governance of System Planning Organizations as well as an in-depth discussion on the changing roles and expectations of committees and advisory groups within system planning organizations across municipalities in Alberta.
Concurrent Sessions 1:30pm-2:45pm
Recruitment Engagement with Landlords, Homeward Trust Edmonton Landlord Relations
Recruitment Engagement with Landlords, Homeward Trust Edmonton Landlord Relations
Speakers:
Jim Fowler (Homeward Trust)
Lynsey Masson (Leston Holdings, Edmonton)
Tamuno Francis (Homeward Trust Properties)
Description: This presentation focuses on approaches and tactics for engaging landlords in housing program participants. With housing demand throughout the province, the Homeward Trust Edmonton Landlord Relations Team will host an interactive discussion with Edmonton area landlords to better understand the perspective of housing from the market perspective and to glean tips and insights in engaging landlords from initial viewings to ongoing participant support.
Healthcare Panel - Approaches Within Homeless-Service Providers, Street Connect & The Alex Community Health Centre
Healthcare Panel – Approaches Within Homeless-Service Providers, Street Connect & The Alex Community Health Centre
Speakers:
Amanda Chamberlain (Street Connect, Red Deer)
Steve Richardson (The Alex Community Health Centre, Calgary)
Chantelle Jackson (Jasper Place Wellness Centre, Edmonton)
Description: This healthcare panel describes healthcare connections and service pathways for people at risk of, experiencing, or with recent experience of homelessness. Sessions should provide a practical lens on how to facilitate connections to healthcare services, contrast medical case management vs. Housing case management, and determine the most suitable housing programs and facilities for individuals with ongoing medical needs.
Lived Experience Engagement & Leadership in A Municipal Context
Engagement & Leadership in A Municipal Context, Canadian Mental Health Association
Speakers:
Tammy Rogers (Housing Engagement Coordinator, Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA))
Abe Bavelaar (Chair of the Lived Experience Council)
Jodi Kelloway (The City of Red Deer)
Description: This joint presentation of the Lived Experience Council and the city of Red Deer, along with the Canadian Mental Health Administration, Highlights the collaborative work and progress made through the engagement of lived expertise in municipal and community contexts.
ARCH in Alberta, Medicine Hat, Homeward Trust Edmonton
ARCH in Alberta, Medicine Hat, Homeward Trust Edmonton
Speakers:
Jaime Rogers (Medicine Hat)
Josie Baker (Homeward Trust)
Description: This informative session provides updates on the Action Research on Chronic Homelessness (ARCH) program. It will offer valuable insights and updates on the program’s progress and impact.
Concurrent Sessions 3pm-4:30pm
Mental Health Allyship, Canadian Mental Health Association
Mental Health Allyship, Canadian Mental Health Association
Speakers:
Jeremy Livingston (Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA))
Lance Freitas (Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA))
Description: Mental Health Allyship is for anyone interested in learning about improving their allyship skills around mental health by examining stigma as it relates to mental health problems, looking at the distinction and overlap between mental health and mental illness, and learning about the recovery-oriented approach.
Supportive Housing Panel - Lessons Learned and New Approaches, Homeward Trust Edmonton, Native Counselling Services of Alberta
Supportive Housing Panel – Lessons Learned and New Approaches, Homeward Trust Edmonton, Native Counselling Services of Alberta
Speakers:
Jeff Walker (Homeward Trust Edmonton)
Blake Jackman (NSCA)
Description: Panel discussion to share lessons learned in the development and operations of Supportive Housing projects in Edmonton. As Supportive Housing projects have come to life across Alberta to provide crucial support to individuals experiencing homelessness, we have experienced the nuances in operating different building types, serving unique individuals, and encountered novel situations that have tested assumptions of program models, best approaches, and standard practice. This panel will explore those lessons and provide key takeaways for Supportive Housing operators and partners.
Canadian Shelter Transformation Network, Calgary Drop-In Centre
Canadian Shelter Transformation Network, Calgary Drop-In Centre
Speakers:
Sandra Clarkson (Calgary Drop-In Shelter)
Description: This Information session focuses on the Canadian Shelter Transformation Network and the formation of an Alberta-based Community of Practice.
Kawegehanowak (Together We Will House Them), Lived Experience Committee, Homeward Trust
Kawegehanowak (Together We Will House Them), Lived Experience Committee, Homeward Trust
Speakers:
Pamela Spurvey (Lived Expertise Committee Member)
Rosemary Fayant (Lived Expertise Committee Member)
Lori McDermott (Lived Expertise Committee Member)
Description: This session discusses housing program principles through the lens of lived and living expertise. Takeaways for the audience are perspective for practitioners with actionable insights for practice, promoting quality improvement for participants’ program experience.
Morning Welcome 9am-9:15am
Concurrent Sessions 9:15am–10:30am
Quality Improvement Technical Training, Built for Zero
Quality Improvement Technical Training, Built for Zero
Speakers:
Marie Morrison
Lori Richer
Description: This training focuses on the practice, tools, and discipline of change management and quality improvement approaches. Program practitioners and leaders will learn how to implement PDSA approaches in their work.
Hope Building 101, Canadian Mental Health Association
Hope Building 101, Canadian Mental Health Association
Speakers:
Amanda De Boer (Recovery Facilitator for Canadian Mental Health Association Edmonton’s Recovery College)
Jay Forcier (Recovery Facilitator for Canadian Mental Health Association Edmonton’s Recovery College)
Description: Clients who feel hopeless or helpless can challenge even the most skilled helpers. Hope Building 101 is for anyone interested in learning more about the importance of hope in working with clients and how to use solution-focused techniques to gently challenge the hopeless and helpless.
Building a diverse housing continuum, Housing and homeless initiatives. Grand Prairie
Building a diverse housing continuum, Housing and homeless initiatives. Grand Prairie
Speakers:
Wendy Hughes (Director of Housing And Homeless Initiatives (HHI))
Samantha Chippeway (Housing Operation Lead Housing And Homeless Initiatives (HHI))
Ashley Saunders (Housing Coordinator Housing And Homeless Initiatives (HHI))
Description: This presentation highlights the concept of creating a range of housing options within the continuum that are tailored to the community’s varying needs while addressing homelessness. The intent and goal are to provide a framework that leads to housing stability, wellness, and independence.
Storytelling, Lived Experience Committee, Homeward Trust
Storytelling, Lived Experience Committee, Homeward Trust
Speakers:
Pamela Spurvey (Lived Experience Committee, Homeward Trust)
Lori McDermott (Lived Experience Committee, Homeward Trust)
Description: This session will focus on storytelling from a lived experience perspective. Examples of empowered ownership of personal stories for meaningful change will be drawn from the presenters’ journeys from houselessness to their present day.
Concurrent Sessions 10:45am-12pm
Youth Agency Collaborative, Youth Empowerment & Support Services
Youth Agency Collaborative, Youth Empowerment & Support Services
Speakers:
Margo Long (Youth Empowerment and Support Services (YESS))
Description: This session dives into the topic of youth agency collaboration. In this session, Margo Long from YESS will discuss the importance of youth agency collaboration and strategies. Learn about the benefits and challenges of working together to empower and support young people.
Recovery Oriented Services in The Homeless Serving Sector, George Spady Society
Recovery Oriented Services in The Homeless Serving Sector, George Spady Society
Speakers:
Lindy Dowhaniuk (George Spady Society, Edmonton)
Renee Iverson (George Spady Society, Edmonton)
Description: This presentation highlights the links between the Recovery-Oriented System of Care (ROSC) and the homeless-serving sector. Presenters will discuss the entryways into ROSC, how housing teams can support individuals before, during, and after treatment, and how the process of building Recovery Capital relates to the homeless-serving sector.
Building Your Data Capabilities, Calgary Homeless Foundation
Building Your Data Capabilities, Calgary Homeless Foundation
Speakers:
Sam Elliot (Calgary Homeless Foundation)
Dr. Tyler Roberts (Homeward Trust)
Description: This presentation is about an approach to building and growing your data capabilities over time. It will highlight the typical problems organizations face and the step-by-step approach to solving them. A key emphasis throughout the presentation will be the need to build tools and processes that scale horizontally across data domains. Calgary Homeless Foundation examples will be used throughout to show how this approach has worked, followed by an in-depth session by Dr. Tyler Roberts demonstrating an approach to “cohort” data from Homeward Trust’s aggregated data pipeline of homelessness data in Edmonton.
Empathy Building Project, Lana Michelin
Speakers:
Lana Michelin (Red Deer Artist, Journalist and Writer)
Description: Lana Michelin, a red deer artist, journalist, and writer with a social conscience, is tying her storytelling with art through the exhibit Being Human: portraits of Homelessness. It is now showing at the Red Deer Museum and Art Gallery, and the presentation will feature examples of discussion of the artistic process and thoughtfulness behind the exhibition.
Closing Words 12pm-12:30pm
