History &
Background

History

The YWCA has a long and proud history of delivery housing solutions for women. YWCA Halifax was founded as a residence for 'delinquent girls' in 1874, and today across Canada the YWCA is the only national network of shelter and non-profit housing services providing a safe haven and home to more than 30,000 women, teen girls and their children every year.

For over three decades, the YWCA provided housing for women in transition at the former YWCA building on Barrington Street. In the recent past, this 29-bed dormitory-style residence on the top floor of the building served three functions: tourist accommodations, student accommodations, and housing for women in transition. In 2004 the YWCA provided 3069 bednights to women in transition: an average occupancy between 8-9 women per night.

While this service on Barrington enabled women to become stable and secure their own housing, tragically there was a high likelihood that we would see many of the women again as they cycled through the homeless system. YWCA residents had little supports once they left the agency. Once in the community in their own apartment they were likely to experience a crisis or relapse, and find it necessary to re-enter the shelter system. This cycle is costly, for our society, and for the women themselves.

The concept for the WISH Program (Women in Supported Housing) was developed through researching best practices and by the women we served on Barrington. Our residents told us they wanted their own home - not just another dorm room, or bed in a shelter. They also told us they needed support services to remain housed. The vision for the WISH program was developed by the same women who are now program participants.

The YWCA was successful in lobbying the provincial government to support this innovative program. Launched on November 5 2005 with seven program participants, the program quickly grew to reach maximum capacity within five months: WISH now serves 24 women. While there is a waiting list for this service, we welcome ongoing program inquiries as movement in the program does happen. In 2006 the YWCA will provide over 7900 service days, over 2.5 times the amount of service provided in 2004.

The YWCA is grateful to the men and women who advocated to make this program possible, to the community who flooded us with donations and resources necessary for furnishing apartments and moving services, for donors who invest in this programs' success, and to the women we serve who demonstrate such resiliency, courage and strength.

BACKGROUND & OVERVIEW

The YWCA aims to decrease and alleviate homelessness for women by:

• Re-engineering and maximizing existing community assets, resources and capacity
• Building partnerships between and among women’s shelter organizations, government, and the private sector

Last fall, the YWCA issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the redevelopment, lease or sale of its’ building at 1239 Barrington Street to public, private and non-profit organizations. The YWCA is currently pursuing a partnership with a private firm, and is exploring the best development option for its property. The RFP process is coming to a close very soon. This impending transition means that a confirmed evolution of YWCA housing services is required as soon as possible. In late November 2004, the Department of Community Services provided the YWCA with a “one-time contribution of $100,000 as an investment toward the financial stability of the YWCA during this period of transition”. DCS correspondence received on November 23, 2004 noted that this investment "should allow us to work together in the coming months to establish a long term funding strategy and properly address future plans of the YWCA to develop and maintain housing and day care services”.

After months of program development and planning, meetings, and evaluation, the Department of Community Services indicated that a per diem in the range of $30 - $50 per night, per person was the amount that the YWCA could expect for a housing program for women in transition.

The YWCA thoroughly and thoughtfully assessed the response from the Department of Community Services. The YWCA recognizes that the Department of Community Services (DCS) is able to respond most expeditiously to the community's housing needs by utilizing existing and committed financial resources, and by working within existing DCS policies.

As a result, the YWCA carefully reviewed Halifax-based research and community plans to isolate YWCA housing program priorities. Next, the YWCA reviewed how existing financial resources committed by DCS and community assets could be utilized to achieve desired outcomes and meet community need. The YWCA then sought out additional information based on already identified best practices within Canada and the YWCA movement to develop a program concept that is effective and sustainable. Women who are currently residing at the YWCA were consulted with using a survey and individual interviews. And key community stakeholders, including women's shelter providers (Barry House, Adsum House, Bryony House, Community Action on Homelessness) and Mental Health Services were consulted. As a result, the YWCA has developed the following program proposal for WISH: Women in Supported Housing. WISH is a Scattered Supported Housing Program based on existing programs in Hamilton, and at the St. Catharine’s YWCA. The goals of the Halifax YWCA’s WISH Program are to:

• Reduce the number of homeless women in Halifax, and reduce the number of women who are homeless repeatedly;
• Move and sustain as many women as possible to a higher level of independence and self-sufficiency;
• Prevent at risk women from being exploited by unscrupulous lenders and abusive relationships by providing them with a safe and trustworthy financial service;
• Support the success of income support programs and other support services;
• Contribute to the local economy by making sure that landlords and other creditors of our clients receive their payments regularly and on time.

To achieve these goals, the YWCA proposes a program model with the following components:

• Head leases with private landlords;
• Congregant living where two residents would share costs thus making rents affordable for someone on social assistance;
• Trusteeship administered by the YWCA to ensure rent and bills are paid;
• A case worker to support clients in accessing services that will ensure stability, and where appropriate, support their journey to independence.

The Halifax YWCA’s WISH Program is cost effective, uses existing resources, builds on community assets, increases the capacity of clients, and is based on best practices and identified community need. The WISH Program complements existing housing services, avoids duplication, and is an innovative, client-centred housing solution.

YWCA MISSION & CAPACITY

YWCA Mission

The mission of The Halifax YWCA is to build our community by engaging and supporting women of all ages to participate fully in life, both as individuals and as valued members of their communities. To achieve our mission, The Halifax YWCA provides programs and services for women and young women at critical turning points in their lives. The Halifax YWCA recognizes housing and the alleviation of homelessness as a strategic priority. This commitment of mission makes housing a core service of the organization – both locally and nationally.

The YWCA is the only national network of shelter and non-profit housing services providing a safe haven and home to more than 30,000 women, teen girls and their children every year. As a member of this network, the Halifax YWCA has ease of access to valuable expertise and best practices. As a result, the Halifax YWCA is uniquely positioned to provide high quality, cost-efficient housing and shelter solutions. The YWCA has demonstrated a long-standing commitment to housing for women: The Halifax YWCA has provided housing for the evolving needs of women since 1932. For over 30 years, The Halifax YWCA has been delivering safe residence to women in transition.

Capacity: YWCA’s Continuum of Services for Women

Housing is recognized by the YWCA as a top priority, and is just one component of a continuum of services needed for women to participate fully in life and community. As the largest national women’s multi-service organization in Canada, the YWCA is also the largest national network of childcare, and a leading provider of employment services. The Halifax YWCA delivers a continuum of services for women at critical turning points in their lives, and thus creates an effective infrastructure for enabling self-sufficiency in an environment and culture of empowerment. Research confirms that access to a continuum of services is a best practice in alleviating homelessness.

This approach is also cost-effective and efficient, since it centralizes administration, develops cross-functional expertise. In 2003 a study was commissioned by Halifax Regional Municipality Planning and Development Services Titled “Everyone Has a Right to a Home: A Community Needs Assessment of Harm Reduction Supports for the ‘Hard to House’ in the Halifax Regional Municipality” (Rehman and Gahagan). The ‘Hard to House’ research concludes that “Successful housing initiatives often combine a variety of services and resources including access to employment training, substance abuse counseling and/or mental health services…” For example, young women who have been residents at the YWCA have accessed the YWCA’s Leadership in Action program for young women and LAUNCH Career Explorations. 20% of the LAUNCH participants required childcare in order to participate in the program. The YWCA was able to provide childcare services for these program participants. The YWCA’s continuum of services – from housing, to employment training, childcare, and youth development – means that women are provided centralized and integrated support to aid their journey to self-sufficiency.

BUILDING A RENEWED YWCA

The YWCA advances its’ mission by delivering effective and responsive community programming for women and young women at critical turning points in their lives. In the last 18 months, quality new programs have grown rapidly in both Halifax and Spryfield in areas such as smoking cessation, healthy physical activity, employment, and youth development. In the fall of 2005, YWCA Halifax will launch programs in Dartmouth. While the YWCA is delivering high-quality, responsive programming, the organization has experienced financial strain, due in large part to financing the upkeep of an old and inefficient building. Over a two-year period, building and operational costs jumped by $79,000 – mostly as a result of dramatic increases in oil and insurance expenses.

In 1999 a facility audit concluded that $1,234,300 was required to upgrade the building’s architectural, mechanical, and electrical systems by 2010 ($1.7 million by 2020). The YWCA board of directors realized that the future of the building needed to be addressed in order for the YWCA to achieve financial sustainability. To best leverage the building as an asset the YWCA issued a request for proposals for the redevelopment, lease or sale of the building to public, private and non-profit organizations.

The YWCA is currently pursuing a partnership with a private firm, and is exploring the best development option for its property. The RFP process is coming to a close very soon. This impending transition means that a confirmed evolution of YWCA housing services is required as soon as possible.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: WISH

Accessibility of Appropriate Housing for Women

CMHC indicates that the 2004 vacancy rate in Halifax was 2.9%. While this is up marginally from 2.3% in 2003, the barriers that women who are homeless face make it almost impossible for them to find suitable rental accommodation. Most of the women served by Women’s Shelter Agencies are very poor. Most of these women have lifestyles or circumstances that make them high-risk tenants. Landlords are understandably reluctant to rent to people with a poor track record of paying their bills, no matter how compassionate they might want to be. The YWCA’s WISH Program helps address the short supply of affordable housing and a landlord’s reluctance to rent to high-risk tenants through an innovative program model that includes private landlords as program partners.

Definition of Supported Housing

Supported housing refers to regular housing with supports that are not linked to the housing it self. It is based on the underlying values of empowerment and community integration. Tenants choose their own homes and flexible, individualized supports are provided based on tenant choice. Supported housing reflects a more normalized delivery of housing and supports. The model emphasizes choice in regular housing (eg. apartments, houses, sharing with a friend) and flexible and individualized supports that follow the client.

WISH Program Overview

The goals of the Halifax YWCA’s WISH Program are to:

• Reduce the number of homeless women in Halifax, and reduce the number of women who are homeless repeatedly,
• Move and sustain as many women as possible to a higher level of independence and self-sufficiency,
• Prevent at risk women from being exploited by unscrupulous lenders and abusive relationships by providing them with a safe and trustworthy financial service,
• Support the success of income support programs and other support services,
• Contribute to the local economy by making sure that landlords and other creditors of our clients receive their payments regularly and on time.

The objectives of the program are to:

• Provide supported housing to 24 women,
• Stablilize financially at risk women by managing their finances for them through voluntary trusteeship,
• Increase the social stability of at risk women by providing social integration opportunities for high need individuals,
• Help women to access services they need and learn the life skills to manage their finances and their personal lives,
• Provide women with links to other needed supports;

To achieve these goals and objectives, the YWCA proposes a program model with the following components:

• Head leases with private landlords,
• Congregant living where two residents would share costs thus making rents affordable for someone on social assistance,
• Trusteeship administered by the YWCA to ensure rent and bills are paid,
• A case worker to support clients in accessing services that will ensure stability, and where appropriate, support their journey to independence.

To ensure landlords receive their rent on time, the YWCA will take head leases; to make sure the YWCA gets paid, the clients will enter into a trustee relationship with the YWCA; to make the rents affordable for social assistance recipients, we will house two women together, sharing costs such as phone and cable as well as occupancy; to break the cycle of homelessness, women will agree to work with the case worker on goals and plans and to participate in services appropriate to their situation.

The Halifax YWCA’s WISH Program is cost effective, uses existing resources, builds on community assets, increases the capacity of clients, and is based on best practices and identified community need. The WISH Program complements existing housing services, avoids duplication, and is an innovative, client-centred housing solution. The provision of additional services in the form of trusteeship, advocacy, relationship building, counseling and referrals offers stability and an opportunity for people to feel valued. Many of our clients tell us that they would not survive without the assistance of the support services. A continuum of services is essential to keep at risk individuals housed.

Target Group and Client Profile

The target group for the YWCA's transitional housing program is single women ages 18 and up who have experienced homelessness and for whom supported housing is a choice and option. While we see a number of women become stabilized and secure their own housing as a result of their stay at the YWCA, tragically, there is a high likelihood that we will see many of the women on a repeat basis.

Of the residents who stayed at the YWCA for 30 days or more in 2004, 73% came from another shelter, and 54% had previously resided at the YWCA. This significant number of repeat clients demonstrates the persistent cycle of homelessness that exists for women experience multiple barriers.

YWCA residents have little supports once they leave the agency. Once in the community in their own apartment they are likely to experience a crisis or relapse, and find it necessary to re-enter the shelter system. This cycle is costly, and not in the best interest of increasing the health of our
community, or diminishing costs associated with high need populations.

On July 29 the YWCA conducted individual interviews with current residents to seek first voice input, and investigate the extent to which the current residents would be supportive of the WISH Program. Of the fourteen residents at the YWCA, 9 were available and agreed to be interviewed.

100% of participating interviewees indicated that they would be interested in receiving services associated with the WISH program, like the trustee program. 67% indicated that they would be willing to share a two bedroom apartment. Of those who declined, one does not wish to leave the YWCA, one does not want to share an apartment, and one self-identified that the program would not meet her needs as she has a partner and two children.

Of the participants interviewed, all had stayed at a shelter more than once. Three had stayed at shelters between 2 and three times, four had stayed at shelters between 4 and 6 times, and two had stayed at shelters 10 or more times.

The YWCA WISH Program began and took in its first group of participants in November 2005.

The YWCA WISH Program is the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada and was modeled from a program from the YWCA, in St. Catherine’s, Ontario that houses homeless men.