Blogs

Good news or bad news first?  This is probably one of my least favourite questions...but it seems appropriate today since I have a couple of extremely good news items, but also a not-so-good update today.

I came across a Toronto Star article this weekend about how "Losties" may have altered the plans of the White House.  In short, a proposed change of schedule to the State of the Union address threatened the final season premiere of the TV series Lost.  This led to a massive outcry from avid Lost viewers ("Losties") through multiple web-based social media like Facebook and Twitter.  The result?  The conf

Winter has arrived this week and it has significant impact on individuals who have been staying outside and organizations who are providing emergency winter shelter.  It's -10^oC and there is a biting wind. 

We launched the first of seven HPI-2 funded HOTS (Housing, Outreach, and Transitional Support) capacity building events yesterday - Feeding Your Soul.  Thank you all for coming out and making this event a success! 

Have you noticed how much time can get hijacked by meetings?  And they're all important meetings for a good reason that should probably be attended.  But unfortunately it takes time.  And eventually...we have to say no.  The Alliance recognizes and values the incredible contributions made by senior management staff of our member agencies. 

Last night in Richmond Hill there was a community meeting that brought together representatives from faith communities in Richmond Hill and Markham, individuals wanting to learn more about the issue of homeless women in York Region and members of the Community Team who are working to ensure that we have emergency shelter and other support services for single women. As a member of the Community Team, I was part of a panel telling the story of how we got to this point; the 4 year journey to raise awareness about the crisis facing vulnerable single women across York Region.

I spent the first three days this week at the Ontario Public Health Association 2009 Annual Conference and wow, am I glad that I went.  I was especially happy to see that the OPHA and public health in general is shifting to place a greater emphasis on health equity.  The conference, which had a theme of Building for the Future, was filled with presentations and discussions about plans to address social determinants of health to improve health outcomes among marginalized individuals. 

A few anecdotes as we approach the weekend.  I attended a meeting this week and had a conversation with individuals working in the employment services sector in York Region and heard about the volume of people looking for work as a result of the recession.  There is a lot of stress out there as people who have not faced the prospect of looking for work adapt to their new reality.  Organizations that provide supports to these individuals are also under a lot of pressure.

Have you ever noticed how social service agency staff sometimes enter the holiday season feeling stressed and overwhelmed about the needs of their clients?  Feeding Souls...this may be the title of our first Capacity Building training/networking event under our HPI(2) funding.  We are hoping that this workshop will be a great chance for Housing, Outreach, and Transitional Support workers to learn about extra seasonal resources to refer clients to, as well as gain some insight about how to set healthy boundaries, manage stress, and prepare for the upcoming holiday season.

I just found out about a production by students at Bur Oak Secondary School in Markham focused on the issues that can lead to young people being driven to the streets. The pilot drama unit is an initiative linked to new curriculum materials that are now available for teachers on www.homelesshub.ca. Education is key if we are to bust stereotypes and understand root causes.