Past projects in Prince George funded by the Designated Communities funding stream:

Active Support Against Poverty (ASAP) through the work of the Tenant Support Worker (TSW) will support tenant and potential tenants to focus on barriers that hinder them with finding and sustaining housing. Through Enhanced Shelter Services ASAP will support their shelter services to better deal with the effects of COVID-19, specifically through hiring security to assist with staff shortfalls, providing guests with food in takeaway containers, and giving out cleaning supplies and PPE.

Prince George Housing First Program Objectives:

Given the proven track record of the Prince George: Housing First Program, where ninety-four (94) of the one hundred and three (103) applicants were housed successfully, the continuation of this program for the duration of 1st April 2020 to 31st March 2022, aims to house individuals with varying challenges that are barriers to maintaining successful housing. The Sub-Agreement Holder will:

a) Find housing for an additional seventy (70) applicants, helping to reach the community-wide outcome of reducing homelessness by 50 % by 2027-28

b) A minimum of forty (40) of these applicants receiving housing will belong to the group termed “hardest to house”,

c) Will have formed collaborative and constructive working relationships with a minimum of three (3) ‘new’ landlords/property management agencies,

Will continue to provide ongoing support to all previously housed individuals, organized around the priority areas: Prevention and Shelter Diversion services Client Support Services.

Health and Wellness Support Team Objectives:

The Health and Wellness Support Team will provide support to individuals experiencing homelessness who require assistance setting up and attending medical appointments, as well as assistance recovering from procedures, for the purpose of improving overall health outcomes for at risk individuals.

24 Hour Drop-in & Male Sleepers Objectives:

The 24 hour Drop-in & Male Sleepers project will support individuals experiencing homelessness by staffing AWAC’S male drop-in to have extended hours for the purpose of providing a 24/7 safe space for individuals to rest and access resources for their basic needs, as well as outreach services. This project will provide 12 additional shelter beds for men which will ease overcrowding in other shelters and increase access to further supports.

Day Outreach Objectives:

The Day Outreach project will connect with individuals who are sleeping rough and living in encampments, for the purpose of building relationships and connecting individuals to resources and services.

The Transitional Support Coordinator will identify those incarcerated or in the criminal justice system who are at risk of homelessness.  In order to facilitate a successful transition from prison, halfway house, probation or parole it is important to work with these clients to overcome barriers.

- Housing

- Employment

- Substance abuse

- Mental health

- Physical well-being

These are but a few of the barriers facing these individuals.  Early intervention and identification of these issues can result in better outcomes and successful reintegration into the community.  The Transitional Support Coordinator will work closely with our clients to develop a release plan that helps to address these areas of concern.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, the Connections project will: increase food security and access to nutritious food, including traditional foods and medicines gathered by patrons; increase clients’ ability to achieve self-sufficiency and take control of their lives and health; enhance clients’ capacity to manage budgets, particularly in regards to meal planning; reduce barriers to the effective acquisition and utilization of existing resources; integrate service delivery across community resources; strengthen connections between community resources; assist clients with the administrative tasks necessary for securing safe, stable housing including funding and placement application assistance, arranging viewings, providing references, etc.

It is the Sub-Agreement Holder’s objective to assist more that 60 individuals who are homeless, marginally housed or at-risk of homelessness to participate in employment related activities over the 2 year period of this program; of these more than 30 will improve their housing status. These will not all be people living with acquired brain injury as it is our objective to expand these supports to clients of other service providers.

This project will improve the self-sufficiency of low income and homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness people through a variety of individualized services.  From April 1^st, 2020 to March 31, 2022 the Sub-Agreement Holder, will employ a Food Hamper/Assistant Coordinator helping improve the health of low income individuals and families by providing fruit and vegetable hampers weekly, and emergency food hampers as needed for families in crisis.  A part time Social Concerns/Outreach Worker will assist people work through crisis situations, providing information and awareness of Prince George community resource programs, refer when possible and assist them to pursue improved living and employment opportunities. A Neighbourhood Cleanup program will be contracted to improve the cleanliness of the neighbourhood.

For the duration of the funding period from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022, the Sub-Agreement Holder will use Reaching Home funding to support homeless and high risk youth to secure and maintain housing, prevent imminent housing loss, and divert youth from moving into chronic homelessness as they age. We will do this in three ways:

1) implementing individualized, hands on, and youth friendly support through a part-time (25 hours/week) housing outreach worker, 2) providing bimonthly (every second month) “Ready to Rent” workshops and weekly life skills groups, and 3) providing access to a flexible homelessness prevention fund to help address financial barriers to housing in a timely way.

Our proposal will help reduce homelessness in Prince George by seizing the window of opportunity present with youth – providing wraparound supports to address underlying mental health and substance use issues, effectively engaging youth in early intervention services to avoid chronic homelessness, supporting diverse life skills to empower youth and foster independence, and providing the appropriate depth of individualized support to help youth stabilize. It will also support data collection specific to youth, a population that represents many “hidden homeless” who couch surf, camp outside, or float between government care and informal options.

Carney Hill Neighbourhood Society will use Reaching Home funding to increase food security for those experiencing homelessness, at risk of experiencing homelessness, and those with financial challenges who are unable to access food and supplies to meet their basic needs.

CMHA of Northern BC will provide Release Support Services services for individuals affected by mental illness and addictions who are exiting institutions and requiring assistance with individual goals and community support services.

Prince George Downtown Business Improvement Association (DPG) will use Reaching Home funding to provide a safe and clean downtown for everyone who works, lives, and visits downtown including those experiencing or at risk or homelessness, as well as provide low-barrier employment opportunities for individuals who may be unemployed or underemployed, and may be at risk of or experiencing homelessness.