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Breaking Down Silos in Rural Communities: Employing A Whole Systems Approach

Breaking down silos and employing a whole systems approach that puts a person’s wellbeing at the centre is a critical practice for rural communities seeking to end poverty. Working in silos ignores the complexity of people’s lives and beneficial community assets remain under-utilized. While working out-of-sync with one another, very few organizations are likely to see their clients sustainably achieve their goals.

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3 Funding Opportunities to Support Community Initiatives

The Government of Canada and its partners are currently accepting applications for three major funding opportunities for communities. Through the funding opportunities, communities can apply for funding to support public spaces, improve mobility and access to digital services, provide programs and services related to financial empowerment and social inclusion of vulnerable youth, and build intersectoral partnerships to address social determinants of health and wellbeing. The three funding opportunities are described below:  

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Guelph-Wellington Built for Zero reduces chronic youth homelessness by 76%

This success story was featured at Cities Reducing Poverty’s 2021 National Gathering: The End of Poverty as part of the workshop Built for Zero: A Model for Ending Chronic Homelessness.

In 2018, after becoming a Built for Zero Canada community, Guelph-Wellington conducted their second Point in Time Count/Registry Week which identified 203 people, including 62 youth, that were experiencing chronic homelessness. Through this survey, the community learned that almost half of all respondents had experienced their first instance of homelessness as a youth.

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A Dignified Disability Supplement as a Pathway to Ending Poverty

According to Statistics Canada, 6.2 million Canadians are estimated to be living with a disability. People with disabilities are likely to be living in poverty – this figure is as high as 30% - due to societal barriers including discrimination, access to education and employment, and protective social programs. Stats Canada reports a mere 40-59% in employment, depending on the severity of the disability, as compared with 80% of the rest of the population.

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London Becomes First City to End Functional Homelessness for Veterans

London has made Canadian history in achieving functional zero veteran homelessness in 2021. This milestone means the city is well on its way to address the homelessness crisis as reported by the Canadian Alliance To End Homelessness (CAEH).

The secret to success? Relationship building, timely data, coordinating access, prioritizing a population group, and a shared goal. Crucial have been partnerships between the city, local agencies, and veterans’ organizations, and working through the city’s By-Name List so that no one is left behind. A targeted systems-focused strategy has enabled specific and appropriate housing and supports for veterans.

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Improving self-sufficiency for families in Worcester County, Massachusetts

How can people experiencing homelessness be supported to get back on their feet? One example from a Cities Reducing Poverty member, in the county of Massachusetts, USA, demonstrates the value of believing in and investing in people. Many of the core members of OpT (Opportunity Tri-Communities) have shifted their efforts in the pandemic, while continuing to work on building resilience in the community. One husband and wife team, who took on an old Victorian building (initially to use the main floor for his medical practice) with rooms have shown a shelter is not merely bricks and mortar or a place to sleep. A shelter can be a safe space, enable healing and a champion for human potential.

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