New Pilot Program Empowers Young Women & Girls
A new pilot program, supported by Homeward Trust, has empowered several Indigenous young women and girls between the ages of 7 and 17 with the skills to achieve greater independence and housing stability.
The program, Preparing Young Women for Safe, Secure Housing, is a prevention-focused intervention for young Indigenous women developed in partnership between the Institute for the Advancement of Aboriginal Women (IAAW) and the Bissell Centre as a response to the high number of missing and murdered Indigenous women. The off-site program supports young women who face a multitude of barriers, including loss of identity, lack of confidence or hope, a limited Circle of Support or mental health issues.
Structured as a four-day camp in a serene location at Wabaman Lake, participants were provided information related to housing stability, personal safety, independent living, cultural education and ceremony.
“For these young women, the camp instilled a sense of cultural pride and empowered them to imagine the kind of home and community they want to create.”
Participants learned about the housing supports that they and their families can access through the Bissell Centre. Survivors of violence said that having safe and secure housing was important to their personal success. This focus prevents young Indigenous women from experiencing homelessness in the first place, supporting them in their rights as tenants, types of programs available to them, how to appropriately budget, and other important skills they may not otherwise have access.
For these young women, the camp instilled a sense of cultural pride and empowered them to imagine the kind of home and community they wanted to create. At the end of the program, an Elder presented each camper with a feather, representing their role as “Elders-in-the-Making” who will leave camp and go on to build homes, relationships and communities.
Hannah Gousy, Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Crisis in the United Kingdom, was recently in Edmonton to learn about the city’s plan to end homelessness and how it is impacting change on a national level. Awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship, Hannah’s research is an examination of political campaigning strategies for ending homelessness. The Fellowship supports her travels to Spain, the United States, Austria and Canada to learn about successful political strategies and commitments to ending homelessness. She will bring these findings and solutions back to the UK with the intent to establish long-lasting and sustained change. Our team caught up with Hannah during her visit to Homeward Trust and discussed Crisis, the Winston Churchill Fellowship and more.
Homeward Trust Edmonton: Tell us about Crisis and your role there.
Hannah Gousy: I work at Crisis, which is a national homelessness charity based in the UK and operates in England, Scotland and Wales. Crisis has service-delivery centers that operate across all three nations, providing front-line services to help end people’s homelessness.
I work in the Policy and Campaigns team, which – working with others – helps generate the solutions needed to end homelessness all together and campaigning for the change needed to achieve that, such as building public support for political change or working with politicians to implement the policies we know are essential in ending homelessness.
HTE: What is England’s plan to end homelessness?
HG: In England we have a commitment to half rough-sleeping by 2022 and end it all together by 2027, but we don’t have a commitment or strategy in place around tackling and preventing wider-form homelessness like people living in temporary forms of accommodation or those who are doubling up—what you call here, couch-surfing. Everybody In: How to End Homelessness in Great Britain helps to set out what homelessness ended will look like in the UK. There are around 150 policy recommendations [in the plan], but largely it looks at housing-led or housing-first approaches to ending homelessness, focusing on prevention, legislative reforms, increasing our affordable housing supply, and providing a robust safety net.
HTE: Is this Britain’s first 10-year plan?
HG: Yes. It was an amazing process putting it together [Everybody In: How to End Homelessness in Great Britain] and we managed to consult with over 1000 people who either work front-line delivering homelessness services, work in policy, or have lived experience of homelessness themselves. Around a third of the people we worked with to put the plan together had experience
HTE: What is the Winston Churchill Fellowship?
HG: At the time that [the plan] was published last June, I applied for a Winston Churchill Fellowship. You apply for a project of your choosing—you can propose any topic you want, which is really cool. I was really keen on going to countries around the world where they have been working really well to end homelessness; they have political commitments and plans in place; and look at the campaigning and advocacy work that went into achieving those plans and commitments, which is why I chose to come to Canada. I’ve been doing some work at Crisis with Tim Richter [President and CEO of Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness]—he has endorsed Crisis’ plan to end homelessness—and recommended that Edmonton would be a great place to visit. It feels like so much of the work that has happened here in Edmonton and the vision set out are being reflected on a national level.
HTE: What cities are you visiting to conduct your research?
HG: Barcelona, Madrid, Washington, Houston, Edmonton, Ottawa, Toronto and Vienna. These are all places where political administrations have made commitments and put plans in place designed to end homelessness.
HTE: Homeward Trust acts as a system-planner coordinating a
community-based approach to address homelessness in Edmonton. What is the structure
at Crisis?
HG: We have a different system at home, and the model you have here is very similar to the one I’ve just been learning about in Houston.
The organization I was visiting in Houston also oversaw the city’s coordinated access program. One of the things that I have been super impressed with both in America and here is in the ways the coordinated approach at a local level has been driven by evidence of what works to end homelessness. We don’t have a shared outcomes framework at home, which would be essential in helping to end homelessness for good.
HTE: From what you’ve learned so far, what are you excited to bring
to the UK?
HG: Making sure that all homelessness services are driven by the data of what works is very important in ending homelessness.
This approach at the local level in Edmonton has undoubtedly been very important in influencing the work of the federal government. It’s clear that what is taking place here has demonstrated to politicians that there are real and workable solutions to reducing and ending homelessness for good in Canada.
The second is the way in which campaigners have taken data on what works to end homelessness to make effective cost-benefit arguments to help win political support to end homelessness.
I’m now looking forward to finding out more in Toronto and Ottawa about the work that’s taken place to establish a right to housing for all Canadians and what more can be done to prevent homelessness occurring in the first place.
A recent CBR project* led by researchers from the Community-University Partnership for the Study of Children, Youth, and Families (CUP), has revealed the initial impacts of the Successful Families program—a supportive housing program designed to help teen parents secure safe and affordable housing.
“We hope that, through sharing the impacts of the program on teen parents, we can contribute to evolving effective practices for working with teen families, not only through supportive housing, but through services delivered to teen families more generally,” says Dr. Melissa Tremblay, Assistant Professor of the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Alberta.
Supportive housing initiatives provide flexible, individualized and accessible supports to people experiencing vulnerable circumstances to achieve housing stability. The study found that teen parents participating in the program felt:
- Less stress (79%)
- More confident as a parent (89%)
- They could better afford their monthly rent (84%)
- They lived in a safe place (79%)
- Their basic needs for clothing (89%), food (84%) and shelter (95%) were being met.
Additionally, the program helped participating teen families establish “natural supports”—an extended support network (family, friends, neighbours and co-workers) outside of the program that would benefit participants after their involvement in the program ends.
The study also revealed areas that required additional provisions, such as budget management and developing relationships with other program participants.
Impacts on service delivery practices
The goal of evaluating, testing, and examining the impacts of the Successful Families program was to establish a suitable and relevant program model of supportive housing, which could be shared with other community agencies.
“Since carrying out this project, a number of agencies have expressed interest in the Successful Families program model and the program continues to share their practices through ongoing knowledge mobilization,” says Tremblay. “This program is highly unique, and we continue to disseminate our learnings regarding promising practices that we were able to delve into with our research methods.”
Teens participating in the program were asked what service delivery models are required for their needs to be met and programs to be most effective. Three main themes emerged: access to supports and services such as the food bank, library, and preschool programs; safe, secure, and affordable housing that allows teens to parent autonomously; and a safe and family-friendly neighbourhood, community integration, and acceptance.
The Research
Several methods were used to determine the initial impacts of the Successful Families program, including self-report questionnaires for parents, child development assessments, photovoice, and meeting notes and observations. Qualitative data (photovoice and corresponding group discussions, meeting notes and observations) were analyzed using thematic analysis—a method of analysis for identifying, analyzing, organizing, describing and reporting themes within a data set. Quantitative data (self-report questionnaires and child assessments) were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
The photovoice method was used to gain insight from teen parents about their experiences receiving supportive housing. Photovoice is a participatory method in which participants use photography and storytelling to identify and represent issues important to them. For this project, parents were asked to take photos in response to two specific questions and send their photos to the researchers for discussion.
For researchers, Tremblay and Rebecca Gokiert, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Extension at the University of Alberta, photovoice allowed for meaningful participation from teen parents, which provided them with opportunities for growth and empowerment.
“We hope that our research facilitates enhanced understanding of the realities and perspectives of teen parents, as well as increasing recognition of teen families’ strengths,” says Tremblay.
The research findings emerge as the final component of a two-phase project. Phase 1, which also received funding from Homeward Trust through the Community-Based Research program, focused on developing and implementing the Successful Families Program; Phase 2 examined the initial impacts of the program. Dr. Tremblay and Dr. Gokiert will continue working with the Successful Families program to explore how to expand mental health services for teen families through a Clinical/Community Research Integration Support Program (CRISP) grant provided through the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI).
*This project is one of many Community-Based Research (CBR) projects supported by Homeward Trust through the Federal Reaching Home program. CBR research projects receive funding to explore issues related to homelessness that provide evidence for leading practices in the sector, identify knowledge gaps, and build collaboration among academic and community-based partners to inform system planning efforts. To learn more about this project or other community-based research relating to housing and homelessness, visit http://homewardtrust.ca/what-weve-learned/reports-publications/
Alex Decoteau Park in downtown Edmonton hosted the Homeward Trust medicine garden. Amid the rows of raised planters containing vegetables and fruit, the medicine garden was on a small, triangular plot first planted in 2018.
The garden was used as a hands-on tool to educate front-line workers on traditional herbs and plants, their relationship to Indigenous culture, and their significance in ceremonies and everyday life as for many First Nations people in Canada, practicing their traditions includes preserving and maintaining the practice of utilizing Indigenous medicinal plants both for ceremony and personal healing.
Throughout the growing season, employees and partner agencies spent time in the garden learning about the plants, their uses and their significance in traditional Indigenous practices. Medicine gardens and other similar initiatives are an ongoing component of Homeward Trust’s focus on Indigenous cultural awareness through experiential learning, and with the current work in Alex Decouteau Park, Homeward Trust is reenvisioning the Medicine Garden for 2025.
Plants as Medicine
Plants are a crucial component of Indigenous medicine, and more than 500 different plants are used for their healing properties. Here are some plant types and their uses:
Cedar. Used as a vitamin C supplement, in the 1700s, Indigenous people treated Europeans suffering from scurvy with a tea made of white cedar.
Dandelion. Cleanses the liver and can be used as an antioxidant.
Mint. Mint leaves contain properties that help remove arterial plaque, a significant cause of hypertension. First Nations have long used mint to make a relaxing and healthy tea.
Nicotiana Tabacum. Considered a sacred medicine, it was used in ceremonies long before contact with Europeans. The plant grown in this garden is not the traditional tobacco plant used in the ceremony; however, it is symbolic within the garden as an offering to the Earth and as an acknowledgment of its critical role within the Indigenous culture.
Sage. White or Buffalo Sage is primarily used in ceremonies and for praying. It creates a cleansing energy, stimulates the immune system, and heals the mind and body.
Sweetgrass. Like sage, sweetgrass cleanses energy but can also be used in a warm bath to help treat shingles, eczema, and other skin conditions.
White Pine. Used for ceremonial medicines, spiritual healing, and protection in conflict, it promotes good energy.
One of the joys of Homeless Connect is witnessing the reaction from the guests to the care, attention and smiles they receive from the approximately 70+ service providers on site. Often the people that attend Homeless Connect have not eaten, slept or experienced any type of kindness you and I take for granted every day.
In case you were not aware of Homeless Connect, once in the spring and again in the fall, the Edmonton Convention Centre becomes a beehive of activity where service partners, agencies and hundreds of volunteers connect essential services with those in need. Our Spring event, Sunday May 5th will see the community provide a welcoming environment to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Dental care, clothing, housing help, and mental health services are just some of the resources available to those that need them. The goal is to provide same-day assistance and support to help create paths out of homelessness, build lasting relationships and raise public awareness in our community.
The gentleness and empathy from our service providers, most of them volunteering on their days off, is a real show of kindheartedness that has come to symbolize the care and compassion seen at Homeless Connect. We are giving a voice to our incredible group of SP’s that show up year in and year out so they can share their experience on why they continue to help.
Optometry
Opticians and optometrists, including a large contingent from Pearle Vision, have been Involved in Homeless Connect since the first event back in 2008. They have a firm commitment in giving back to the community and this shows with the enthusiasm, energy, and kindness the team brings in year in and year out. Over the years, volunteers from varied practice settings have participated in providing care.
The team is comprised upwards of 5 doctors and 20 support staff who are all volunteering their time, skills, smiles and expertise. This allows the Optometry area to perform eye exams, generate prescriptions and referrals, as well as offer reading glasses to Homeless Connect guests. Those patients who require prescription spectacles are directed to a local Pearle Vision or Lenscrafters to receive a complimentary pair.
Stephanie Trinh of Pearle says the volunteers from the vision sector that spend the day with our vulnerable neighbours come away with gratitude and wonderful stories of connection to our community. “Our volunteers have nothing but positive memories of the day. It is one of the highlights of our year and the volunteers really enjoy the event. We now have other sector partners like Luxottica who are in partnership with the OneSight charity program donating supplies and other eye firms who are looking to participate.”, says Stephanie.
As one of the critical medical services that are present at Homeless Connect, there is always a line-up of appreciative guests looking to access the skills of the eye professionals on site. The numbers speak for themselves: 300 pairs of reading glasses, 150 referrals, 100 vouchers for glasses and 80 exams are done on site. For many of the guests, this will be the only eye exam they will have had in months or even years. No medical coverage or insurance is necessary to access the area, which is a huge plus for many of the guests.
Stephanie tells of one story that shows how a visit to the eye service provider section ended in turning one guest’s life around. “I once had a gentleman come to visit me and asked if I remembered him. I couldn’t place him, but he told me he came to a previous Homeless Connect and I had helped him. After Homeless Connect he was able to get glasses, which led to him getting his driver’s license, then a job then steady income. The event was life-changing for him. It was quite an emotional moment for me and him. So rewarding to help people get back on their feet.”
Thank you, Stephanie, Pearle Vision, OneSight, suppliers and other vision sector professionals, for your service. Homeless Connect would not be possible without the dedication and commitment from the partners who plan, deliver and participate in the bi-annual events.
MC COLLEGE
One of the services offered is complimentary haircare by students and staff of MC College. MC College Group trains over 700 students annually in Hairstyling, Esthetics and Fashion Design and places over 95% of these students in training related positions. The school has a firm belief in giving back to the community and this can be evidenced in the 11 years they have been coming with their services to Homeless Connect.
Zsuzsana Varga, an instructor at MC College, has this to say on the school’s participation. “MC College prides itself on giving back; it can be a reminder of how grateful we should be and to share of ourselves. Students have experienced a feeling of humbleness and they feel inspired to be more aware of the people around them.”
Students offer a complete line of hair services to the guests at Homeless Connect and for many this will be the only professional hair care they will experience until the next Connect months down the road. The simple joy of receiving a haircut and a smile is a powerful moment, says Zsuzsana, “When people get a haircut and kind words, magic happens. The hugs, smiles and sometimes tears of joy.”
VCA CANADA
Edmonton staff of some of the VCA Canada hospitals have been attending Homeless Connect since the Spring of 2017. You would not think that vet services would be needed at an event for our vulnerable citizens experiencing homelessness or at risk of. It turns out the table is one of the busiest at Connect and sees returning guests event after event.
Nicole S. explains it this way, “we wanted to get involved but we weren’t sure how big the need would be for homeless people with pets. We were absolutely overwhelmed. The need was so great and we were all so pleased to interact and hear their stories, and help in a way that was near and dear to us. The human-animal bond is so important to people in all walks of life.”
Once the opportunity was extended to sector partners, Becky says it wasn’t too hard to find other pet health groups that wanted to lend a paw. “I am so incredibly proud to be part of a company that allows us to give to the community like this. When we invited our industry partners to participate, they jumped on it so fast and make it so easy to get large amounts of supplies to these people in need.”
Often times our service providers witness or are part of an interaction that leaves a profound impact on them. We will leave the last word with Ruthie from VCA who was fortunate to be part of one that has left an indelible impression. “I was talking with a gentleman who was overwhelmed that we were giving him cat food which would last him so long for his pet. He explained that he ended up caring for the cat as it was left behind by someone who had moved on. He described the love the cat had for him and vice versa and it really hit home with me how pets make our lives better…I will remember that conversation and the gentleman forever. Being there to listen is just as important as providing products and services.
We thank our generous service providers like MC College and VCA Canada for offering their time, energy, compassion, skills and smiles that result in these “tears of joy” experiences to the guests of Homeless Connect. It truly takes a community to make steps towards ending homelessness.
Volunteering is a selfless act that helps lift your community up beyond its potential. It offers the volunteer a sense of giving back, social inclusion and involvement in making a positive impact in other people’s lives. According to Volunteer Canada, nearly 13 million Canadians contribute close to 2 billion hours annually to service work in our country. Regionally, over 1 million Albertans volunteer each year and in Edmonton, over 4000 non-profits rely on volunteers to keep their organizations running. We here at Homeward Trust are fortunate to have a bank of Edmontonians willing to offer up their time, skills, experience, and passion to help others without expecting anything in return. It’s National Volunteer Week, and all week, we’ll be featuring some of their stories.
Ben
Ben has been attending Homeward Trust events since 2011. He draws upon his own experiences in life as a tool to help others. “I volunteer because of what I believe I can put into it. You see, as a result of my own struggles, I’ve been gifted with a shift in perspective. Part of that perspective is the inherent knowledge that I’ve been given the gifts I have for a reason.”
Whatever reasons volunteers have, each has their own story, their own moment when they witnessed something – a connection that was made to the event and to the volunteer. Ben helped a young mother call to Brazil – a gift to her that was priceless and for Ben as well in his own way. “I have no idea what ever became of Maria. I do know that in that moment, she felt relief. She felt connection. She felt hope. She entered the room hopeless and found some reprieve. I knew then, and I know now, that I am eternally blessed to have participated in that moment.”
We hope that if you decide to help at one of our events, you find your moment.
Tanya
Tanya is one of Homeward Trust’s longtime volunteers, having spent time at 26 events over the years, from Homeless Connect, Homeless Counts and to our Homeward Walk Run. She says she had found something after her first Homeless Connect and was hooked. “I knew it was something I had to be part of. I loved interacting with the clients one on one, hearing their stories, the struggles they have faced and continue to face daily.”
Not only has she volunteered, but she has also recruited 12 people who are committed to volunteering.
To anyone who is thinking of helping out, she says this. “It’s an amazing opportunity for you to help the less fortunate experience a day of free services. It’s the chance to give back to the community or maybe even make a difference in someone’s life. A smile goes a long way.”
We agree and thank you, Tanya, for all that you do and continue to do.
Candace
She heard about Homeward Trust through her church and felt it was a good opportunity to get to know her city and the people who call it home. “We volunteer to feel connected to our city and the people in it, they are worth getting to know.”
She has volunteered at Homeless Connect the past 7 years. While many say offering their time, skill and energy freely at Connect is a special day, for her it went beyond that – all the way to family ties.
“One time that will always stand out for me, was the time I was paired to guide my uncle, whom I hadn’t seen in years and have always wondered about.
We hugged, and took pictures, and caught up. That was it for me, all of these folks are someone’s family, and we have the chance during these events to extend the kindness to them that their family may only wish they could.”
She strongly encourages anyone who is sitting on the fence about volunteering to make the leap. As she puts it the effects on you could be life changing. “Do it, 100%. You may find you forge a relationship that changes who you are (even if it only lasts a few minutes) (and even if the person you help doesn’t remember you). Loving someone who needs it will always be its own prize.”
Janine
We often find the person in the act of giving will receive something in return that enriches their experience and leaves a lasting impression on how meaningful volunteering can be. Active volunteer Janine Isaac explains it this way, “…volunteering gives me a more informative perspective in terms of how individuals are living and interacting with our built environment. In this case, it’s not all rainbows and sunshine for most people, homelessness is an epidemic that needs to be addressed and volunteering is almost the gateway to understanding how people are affected and which factors are affecting them.”
Janine found out about Homeward Trust after some research while deciding to switch majors in school. As a result of discovering the work the organization is entrusted with, she has since volunteered for many events including the Homeward Walk Run, the Edmonton Homeless Count and our signature volunteer event, Homeless Connect Edmonton.
The reality of who she was helping hit home for Janine during an interaction with a guest at Homeless Connect. “… we met a young man who was telling us his story about how he was living with mental illness and how it really affected him in terms of finding housing and, in general, feeling triple the stigma as he was a youth with mental illness and homeless. He explained that before Homeless Connect, he wasn’t sure where he would get his next meal or sleep the next day. This moment was pivotal for me because it was when I realized the importance and impact of volunteering and the non-profit sector in general.”
Twice a year, at Homeless Connect many important supports are offered for the young man Janine met and 2000 other attendees, including housing information, medical testing and dental and eye care.
For Janine offering up her time and energy is a way to stay grounded to the events and people around her that share a different world then most of us. “Volunteer because you have the choice to… we currently live in an idealistic bubble that’s bound to smartphones and social media but without the filters and enhancements, there exists a real reality that is often neglected.”
If you are interested in signing up for Homeless Connect or any of the events Homeward Trust produces, you can head here for more information.
Youth Voices matter. This January, the 2nd Without a Home National Youth Survey will amplify the voices of youth experiencing homelessness across Canada. We know from our real-time data that youth continue to experience homelessness in Edmonton.
Sponsored by The Home Depot Foundation, the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH) in partnership with A Way Home Canada (AWH) are conducting Without a Home – a national survey on youth homelessness. First held in 2015, the study was the first and largest of its kind in Canada, with over 1,100 youth participants.
How crucial is this information?
Without a Home (2016) provided data on the causes and conditions of youths’ experiences of homelessness. Three policy briefs were developed in 2017 based on the findings of Without a Home to help inform federal, provincial, and municipal policy.
These briefs included
- Mental Health Care for Homeless Youth,
- Child Welfare and Youth Homelessness in Canada,
- Opportunity Knocks: Prioritizing Canada’s Most Vulnerable Youth.
The purpose of the survey is to further strengthen youth experiences, improve the supports and services they receive, and guide structural, systems, and policy change.
Youth who live in Edmonton and are currently experiencing homelessness (or have within the last year) can participate and will be compensated $10 via gift card. Youth can participate at the following locations by contacting the listed agency representative.
- Old Strathcona Youth Society (OSYS): Karen Drynan (edirector@osys.ca)
- Youth Empowerment Support Services (YESS): Jessica Day (jessica.day@yess.org)
We all know that it takes a community to end homelessness. One person, agency or government body cannot take on this task by themselves. HomewardTrust works with several partners in trying to get to the finish line, one of the many agencies in this goal is an organization simply known as homeEd.
They are one of the only affordable housing landlords in the city with vacancies, which is remarkable considering there are current wait lists with thousands of names on them.
Established by the City of Edmonton in 1977, homeEd has been providing affordable rental housing to the low to middle income bracket, focusing on those making less than the median income. Properties include everything from studio apartments all the way up to three-bedroom town homes that are located throughout the city offering a roof overhead to those that could not otherwise afford one.
Shelley, a tenant in one of the organization’s 19 properties, says, “It helped me a lot. I wouldn’t have been able to pay full rent. HomeEd was a huge blessing to me in that way and still is.”
homeEd also makes a difference by their participation in the Housing Support program operated through HomewardTrust.
The Executive Director of homeEd, Jim Fowler, says that while the program is not perfect, “We have an important role here to play, and working with partners like Homeward Trust, we are very confident that we can navigate any challenges we have.”
Fowler encourages more landlords to participate in the Housing Support program for a few reasons. It is not often you can see someone’s life change before your eyes once stable housing is provided and that stress is taken care of. As well, there is a level of security in your tenant that you cannot get from taking in applications right off the street.
“How often do you get to hand-pick a tenant? A Housing Support tenant is not a roll of the dice. You are also offered a level of support that is only one phone call away,” says Fowler. “We have a very good relationship with all the partner agencies we work with,” he adds.
With only seven staff working out of a nondescript office in the west end, homeEd also employs 15 property managers and two handyperson. It is apparent through the numbers and testimonials that homeEd is making a difference in providing affordable mixed income housing for the citizens of Edmonton. Having partner organizations such as homeEd pitching in, the goal of helping our less fortunate housed is made that much easier for Homeward Trust Edmonton and other stakeholders.
Homeward Trust is honoured to learn that Edmonton will host the 2019 Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness (CAEH) Conference. This is an annual national conference focused on ending homelessness in communities across Canada.
The much-anticipated location reveal was made this afternoon in Hamilton, ON at the end of the 2018 Conference by CAEH President and CEO Tim Richter.
“ When we come back together in Edmonton for #CAEH19 we can say we acted, we have less people experiencing homelessness. And one day, we won’t need the conference.”
This is the first time the sector’s leading conference will be held in Alberta.
With over 1300 delegates attending the Hamilton event, the same numbers or more can be expected for Edmonton which will provide a large national audience for this opportunity to showcase Edmonton’s leading practices, community progress, and local character.
The annual event is an opportunity for homeless sector workers, policymakers, individuals with lived experience and key funders from all levels of government to come together and share knowledge.
With Edmonton being recognized as a sector leader in ending homelessness, Homeward Trust CEO Susan McGee welcomes the news of the conference coming to Edmonton.
“We are honoured that the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness conference is coming to Edmonton. As a recognized leader across the country in making strides to ending homelessness, we look forward to hosting the delegates, policy makers, funders and those with lived experience to our city.”
Mayor Don Iveson posted a message welcoming the delegates to Edmonton after the announcement was made. Planning of the 8th annual 2019 conference will begin immediately with sector partners and Homeward Trust.
Supportive Housing is a cornerstone of Edmonton’s Updated Plan to End Homelessness. Currently, the plan calls for the construction of more than 900 units to help alleviate the high number of homelessness the city sees every day.
The location of Supportive Housing sites is based on proximity to public transit, amenities, and community support based on public consultation and information sharing. The city has several Supportive Housing sites scattered throughout the Edmonton region. Morning Fire Protector is in the historic Beverly Community.
The building officially opened its doors in 2015 and is a 14-unit program for Indigenous singles, families, and couples. It received its name during a night lodge ceremony. Program staff on-site support residents in accessing cultural resources and ceremonies and facilitate engagement with elders.
Why the Indigenous focus? In 2015, 54% of Housing Support clients were Indigenous. In the past few years, sharing circles, smudges, and traditional feasts have all been held at the residence. Tenants at MFP both engage in and appreciate a program based on culture.
Some of the tenants have told staff they have been able to transform their lives for the better with the stable housing, supports, and indigenous outreach offered by MFP. One Edmonton Police Service officer has made it a special priority to drop in and check on the facility as part of his rounds, and it has now become a favourite of the children who live there!
On October 18th, the building’s residents and staff held a small community BBQ to bring the community together and perhaps dispel some myths about PSH and the people who inhabit it. Days prior, Staff went door to door and invited people and businesses from the community to the BBQ.
Over the span of two hours, around 40 people from the building and community stopped by to grab a plate of food. Some stayed, some got a plate and went back to their suite. Many laughs were shared, and new connections were made. Young babies, their mothers, brothers, mothers, dads, friends and workers all came together on a beautiful fall day to break bread and have a few hours away from their daily routines.
Through events like this, we see it truly takes a community to come together to make inroads to end homelessness and help our most vulnerable neighbours. Thank you to Beverly’s residents and businesses for helping Morning Fire Protector’s tenants and staff become a part of the community.
