LiveWorkPlay Shares “Just Enough Support” At CHRA National Congress on Housing
From 2016-2018 LiveWorkPlay conducted an Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services Housing Task Force project, supporting 12 people with intellectual disabilities to move to one-bedroom apartments, primarily with non-profit housing providers Multifaith Housing Initative (MHI) and Centretown Citizens Ottawa Corporation (CCOC).
Towards the end of the project, there were sufficient funds remaining to produce a video series to elaborate the “Just Enough Support” approach. The video trailer on Facebook has surpassed 20,000 views and the videos and transcripts are being used by family groups, agencies, and government departments all over the world. And now delegates at in important national conference will be learning more about Just Enough Support firsthand from our Co-Leaders Julie Kingstone and Keenan Wellar!
Sustainable and Mutually Beneficial Partnerships is one of our current strategic priorities, and to this end LiveWorkPlay has been engaging with local, provincial, and national housing organizations. This includes membership with the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association, which is hosting the 51st National Congress on Housing and Homelessness n Victoria, B.C. from April 2 – April 4.
With more than 500 delegates attending, this is an exceptional opportunity to gather, learn and network with a growing Canadian body of practitioners, policy makers, front-line workers, government officials and key stakeholders in the sector. Each year CHRA develops a unique program with over 40 workshops, plenaries, learning sessions, mobile tours and keynotes to meet the educational needs and interests of our members and participants from across the non-profit, social and affordable housing and homelessness community
Julie and Keenan will present on April 4 through an interactive format that will see them introduce Just Enough Support with a video presentation, and then host discussions with six different groups of delegates for 30 minutes of learning.
“We will talk about all of our housing partnerships but will be focusing in particular on what we have achieved together with MHI at The Haven in Barrhaven,” says Julie. “Whether it is the Developmental Services sector or the Affordable Housing community, too often we get caught up in ‘models’ and do not give enough thought to relationships.”
“Yes, they built The Haven with deliberate intent in the physical design and this is important, but in the end, that alone is not what makes one neighbourhood more or less welcoming than another,” says Keenan. “It is more a question of having clarity of purpose, and carrying out the associated values – like a welcoming culture that appreciates diversity and strives to demonstrate that all persons are equally valued. And it takes leadership – not just executives or board members, but also people who live in a particular community and are positioned to uphold those values in their daily living.”
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