EXPLORING EFFECTIVE SYSTEMS RESPONSES TO HOMELESSNESS

SYSTEMS PLANNING FOR TARGETED GROUPS
B. Creating service maps as tools to
begin creating a common understanding
A concurrent task taken on by the participants of the territorial CoPs was to map
the existing service system for homeless and at-risk women. The map produced in
Yellowknife is presented here as an example.
FIGURE 2
Map of services for homeless women identified in Yellowknife
NWT Communities
YHSSA Mental Health Clinic
Food Bank; Churches;
Salvation Army Cafeteria;
Day Shelter
Public Housing
Temporary Housing
CNF
Emergency
Shelter
Couch
Surfing
Healing Drum Society
YHSSA Physicians
CMHA
Life Skills Programs
Tree of Peace
Visiting Psychiatrists?
AMH
Income Assistance
Mental Health
Residential Homes
YHSSA Adult Placement
Committee/Case Managers
Cells
Psych
Ward
YHSSA Family Counselling
Addiction Services
Tree of Peace
YWCA Mental Health Outreach
YHSSA Child Protection
Transitional Housing
Private Housing Market
A key observation that emerged from this work was: the
pieces all seem to be there so why is this service system
not producing better outcomes? This question was
especially striking for government and non-government
representatives in Whitehorse, where the service map that
emerged contained the names of several dozen service
options. The situation in Nunavut is strikingly different
from that in the other two territories in that far fewer
services exist, but yet the same observation was made –
we should be able to do better with what we have.
To understand the opportunities and barriers that could
become keys to answering the question about why
service outcomes fall so far short of the needs it was
clearly necessary to look more deeply at the experiences
of northern homeless and at-risk women as they try to
navigate the service system whose aim it is to assist them
to meet their basic needs with dignity and purpose.
162