March 10, 2014 - 11:26 AM
KAMLOOPS - The City of Kamloops is proud to be joining HomeFree and the Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan to host an upcoming day of learning. The Housing First Forum will introduce an approach to ending homelessness that has been proven to be effective in numerous cities across Canada, North America and the world. Housing First asserts that housing should be provided as a first step to ending homelessness, in combination with supportive services and community resources. This approach has seen tremendous results in reducing rates of homelessness, addictions and mental health issues.
HomeFree (formerly the Kamloops Working Group on Homelessness or KWGH) acts as the Community Advisory Board for Kamloops, which makes decisions concerning the allocation of federal homelessness funds and creates a community plan by identifying local needs and priority areas in housing and homelessness that are updated annually. The Kamloops Homelessness Action Plan is a 5-year strategy to end homelessness built on community input, founded on the 3 focus areas of housing, support services and financial independence. The plan is in year 4 and has seen remarkable progress since its launch.
The Housing First Forum will include guest speakers who have helped initiate the Housing First approach in communities and regions across Canada. This event is intended for anyone interested in ending homelessness. Those involved in operating affordable housing or providing support services, and people with lived experience of homelessness are strongly encouraged to attend. Welcoming all stakeholders in the community, the City and its partners are excited to host an event that will engage the whole community:
March 28th, 2014 from 9:00am - 3:00pm
Interior Savings Centre, Parkside Lounge
300 Lorne Street, Kamloops
News from © iNFOnews, 2014