[homeles_ot-l] ATEH / Ottawa's universities & colleges in the news

[Lynne Browne]

FYI . . .  Students get lesson in helping homeless


The Ottawa Sun 
Thu May 13 2010 
Page: 25 BY LAURA CZEKAJ

 

A life without a home can be a life in chaos. 

 

Everyday tasks -- from getting a haircut, to sewing a torn pant leg, to
getting a pet groomed -- can be out of reach for Ottawa's homeless
population. 

 

Meeting those needs through a one-stop shop was the inspiration behind
Ottawa's Project Homeless Connect, a daylong gathering of students from the
city's universities and colleges. 

 

More than 350 students have volunteered their time for the project, which is
expected to attract about 200 of the city's homeless and needy to the
University of Ottawa campus Friday. 

 

Students will perform one of four roles throughout the day: Greeter,
ambassador, food service worker or kiosk service worker. 

Project Homeless Connect originates in San Francisco where community
organizations and volunteers gather every two months to provide a range of
services to the city's homeless. 

 

'BIG ISSUE' 

 

"Homelessness is a big issue and it's important that this kind of event is
happening even if it's just to acknowledge the fact that something more
needs to be done," said Joe Lipsett, the project's co-ordinator at Carleton.


 

Organizers hope the students will be inspired to continue donating their
time to those in need. 

 

University of Ottawa project organizer Julie Cafley said shelters have been
involved in the planning process and identified which services would best
suit their clients' needs. 

 

In Ottawa, the Alliance to End Homelessness reports 7,445 individuals --
including 1,317 children -- accessed shelter services in 2009. 

 

The published figures can be deceptive since they don't reflect those
households or individuals who don't access shelter resources, noted Carleton
University Prof. Fran Klodawsky. 

 

In her years of research and her work with the Alliance to End Homelessness,
she has found that a major contributing factor to homelessness is a lack of
affordable housing. 

 

In 2009, more than 10,000 households lingered on Ottawa's waiting list for
affordable housing, yet only 88 new housing units were created. 

 

Instead of being seen as an expense, Klodawsky said affordable housing
should be viewed as an investment that pays off in the form of less strain
on social resources in the long term. 

 

LAURA.CZEKAJ at SUNMEDIA.CA 

C 2010 Sun Media Corporation. All rights reserved.

 Lynne Browne

Coordinator, Alliance to End Homelessness (ATEH)

147 Besserer St., 2nd Floor, Ottawa, ON K1N 6A7

Cell 613-513-6647

Office 613-241-7913, ext. 205

www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca <http://www.endhomelessnessottawa.ca/> 

 

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