The first graduating class of Journey Home香蕉视频直播檚 PEOPLE program is nearing graduation and eager to start working for the City of Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 operation department.
香蕉视频直播淲e are looking forward to working with PEOPLE this summer in a pilot project designed to enhance cleanliness and assist in beautifying our downtown,香蕉视频直播� infrastructure operations department manager Ian Wilson said.
香蕉视频直播淲e are impressed by PEOPLE香蕉视频直播檚 commitment to contribute to the community in a positive way.香蕉视频直播�
Individuals with lived experiences with homelessness or opioid use and addiction were offered the opportunity to train with the PEOPLE program 香蕉视频直播� a peer-support model that assists in setting individuals up with employment contracts.
READ MORE: At the helm of the Journey Home Society
Contracts have been drawn up this past week, (COJHS) executive director Gaelene Askeland said, and the program was wildly successful with all 32 trainees completing the program.
香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 almost unheard of,香蕉视频直播� she said. 香蕉视频直播淭his tells me the training is good and the people were highly motivated to get to work.香蕉视频直播�
香蕉视频直播淎ll of those folks are ready to get to work and are really excited about the opportunity,香蕉视频直播� she said.
Askeland said seeing members of the community contributing to beach cleanups and efforts to beautify the downtown core could help shift the public香蕉视频直播檚 perspective of homelessness.
香蕉视频直播淪howing people they香蕉视频直播檙e human beings like the rest of us and they can contribute breaks down some of that stigma,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淭hey worked hard to get through the training and get ready for their work placements,香蕉视频直播� Askeland said. 香蕉视频直播淎nd every opportunity we can get to have people with lived experience work is a good opportunity.香蕉视频直播�
READ MORE: Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 Journey Home board marks success
The Paid Employment Opportunities for People with Lived Experiences (PEOPLE) is only one of many actions the COJHS has implemented from its five-year strategy to end homelessness, and its only four months in.
to assess the needs of affected individuals in the community, 香蕉视频直播渁s expressed by those with lived experience of Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 shelter system,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淓ven as we work towards ending homelessness, there will always be a need for short-term shelter accommodation for those in our community who find themselves without homes,香蕉视频直播� Askeland said.
The design lab will take community perspectives to better understand how shelters function in Kelowna and identify what is needed now and in the future.
香蕉视频直播淲e will look at the variety of shelter models to determine the best fit to address the needs in our community over the short-term and long-term,香蕉视频直播� Askeland said.
READ MORE: Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 formerly homeless shows support for Journey Home project
Okanagan College and UBC Okanagan also joined up to create a Homelessness Research Collaborative to identify key areas to focus on to support the Journey Home Strategy.
Establishing an integrated court in Kelowna is another project COJHS continues to pursue. It is working to establish a court model that offers more engagement between the courts, police, the person charged with a crime and those who provide services to those charged.
香蕉视频直播淚ntegrated court aims to achieve better outcomes for vulnerable people and the broader community through a more restorative approach to justice,香蕉视频直播� John Howard Society executive director Dawn Himer said.
香蕉视频直播淏y helping people lead healthier, more stable lives, the development of the integrated court represents another step to introduce measures to prevent homelessness in the first place.香蕉视频直播�
Caitlin.clow@kelownacapnews.com
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