Taking on Homelessness in PA

These necessary supplies enable the centre’s staff to provide enhanced care and resources to clients to reduce the need for, inpatient health care services, such as an emergency centre.

‘Although first aid supplies and multivitamins may seem minimal to some, our clients are extremely appreciative to be able to access these resources; they have faced many hardships, trauma and addictions that they are recovering from and this is one less thing they need to worry about,’ says Sheila Wignes-Paton, Executive Director.

The House & Other (Case) Management & Engagement Services (HOMES) is a program through the Phoenix Residential Society that provides housing for people who have been chronically homeless. ‘Having a home helps the healing process,’ says Wignes-Paton.

‘The ultimate goal of the team is to bring all agencies together and provide leadership – reducing duplications of services and overlap,” says the University of Saskatchewan’s Dr. June Anonson (PhD), leader of the diverse team of dedicated researchers.

The team received a Partnership Engage grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), a Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF) grant and a Mitacs grant to develop a streamlined approach to addressing homelessness in Prince Albert and beyond.

After almost a year in the field, the team has collected the data and is analyzing it. They’ve also built a website and developed a brochure and a map of social services in the city. These resources help homeless clients and agencies know what servicers and supports are available.

Check out the project’s video trailer below If you would like to support the HOMES project or any other initiative by the Phoenix Residential Society, please connect with Sheila Winges-Paton, Executive Director through the centre’s central line at (306) 569-1977.

“The city has one of the largest catchment areas, in the country with the least funding,” she explains. “As a northern city, Prince Albert faces challenges that other cities don’t, such as divided resources, and rural clients that move in and out of the city,” says Saskatchewan Polytechnic (Institute for Nursing Scholarship) research facilitator, Jade Anderson.

A study done in Prince Albert in August 2018, found that 47 people were living in shelters, and 30 were living on the street. Typically these homeless counts do not include the ‘hidden homeless’, people who live in their vehicles, or with relatives and friends.

The research team found that the homeless population is diverse, including parents with children, youth, seniors, men and women. Some have a history of trauma and family violence, making living on the street the safer option.

One of the major goals of this research is to educate the community about the homeless situation to create more awareness and understanding what brings people there.

“It’s not a matter of ‘go get a job, go get a place to live’. It’s not that simple,” says Donna Brooks, chief executive officer of the Prince Albert YWCA. “We work together and come in with an open mind to determine what can we do to address this issue and what’s already being done. Let’s celebrate our successes because we have tons of them.”

Among the successes is the YWCA’s Homeward Bound program that places housing as a priority, before addictions treatment, or other considerations, based on the belief that housing creates the stability that allows the homeless to overcome other obstacles.

Ultimately, the research team hopes its work will result in ensuring everyone, regardless of who they are or where they come from, have a safe place to call home.