By Cecilia Nasmith
On Wednesday, Sept. 29, Northumberland County will partner with local agencies to gather data about how many people are experiencing homelessness in our community.
Mandated by the province, the 2021 Homeless Enumeration will bring greater visibility to the state of homelessness in Northumberland through a point-in-time analysis.
During the enumeration process, county and agency staff will be visiting shelters, parks, and downtown areas throughout Northumberland (as well as such locations as food banks and social-services offices) to connect with community members across the county and conduct surveys about the individual situations and needs of people without access to stable housing. The data gathered as a result will be used help strengthen local programs and services, as well as coordination among agencies.
“Hearing the unique stories and experiences of individuals and families affected by, or at risk of, homelessness is extremely important to ensure our programs and services are designed for impact,” County Director of Community and Social Services Lisa Horne commented in the press release.
“As we continue to refine our processes and improve co-ordination amongst system partners, conducting these interviews will allow us to get a better understanding of individual challenges so we can tailor our programs to meet local needs.”
Community partners have trained together to ensure that surveys are delivered consistently, and that interviewers are knowledgeable and confident when connecting with community members. Organizations who will have staff out and about in the community on the 29th speaking with people who may be experiencing homelessness include Campbellford Memorial Hospital, Cobourg and Port Hope Police Services, Community Health Centres of Northumberland, Cornerstone Family Violence Prevention Centre, FourCast, Habitat For Humanity Northumberland, the county's Community and Social Services department, Northumberland Hills Hospital Mental Health Services, Peterborough AIDS Resource Network, the Salvation Army, the Help Centre and Transition House Shelter.
Shelter Director Anne Newman added her comments.
“As a provider of temporary emergency shelter and transitional housing support services for Northumberland residents over the age of 18, Transition House Shelter firmly believes that all people have the right to safe and affordable housing,” Newman stated.
“To effectively take action against housing insecurity, our community must work together to identify systemic issues and opportunities that exist within the current community support framework. Robust data is essential to this ongoing work, with the data gathered through the enumeration process one vital input.”
“This data-collection initiative, made possible with the support of our dedicated community partners, is an important step in our collective efforts to support vulnerable populations,” County Warden Bob Crate said.
“The information shared by people with lived experience will improve our response to the changing needs of our community, informing immediate actions and longer-term strategies towards ensuring safety and well-being for all residents of Northumberland.”
Results from the 2021 Homeless Enumeration will be submitted to the Province by Dec. 15.
Those who are interested in participating as part of this process - but may not have the opportunity to connect with one of the interviewers out in the community on Sept. 29 - can contact Northumberland County Community and Social Services by calling their toll-free phone number at 1-800-354-7051 or by visiting the office located at 555 Courthouse Rd. in Cobourg on either Sept. 29 or 30.
