Point in Time Counts take place in Nanaimo and Cowichan
Everyone has a voice. Everyone has a story. Everyone matters. And no one hopes to find themselves living on the edge – wondering if they can afford food or rent, searching for a safe place to sleep at night, finding somewhere to settle.
Homelessness is a topic many people currently hear about on a daily basis; whether through work, the news, or social media. Opinions are as varied as the individuals’ own experiences and perception of who is homeless, why they are homeless, and what should be done about homelessness has a broad spectrum.
To help better understand the impact of homelessness, Point-in-Time (PiT) Counts are conducted across the country in communities. Conducted over a 24-hour period, PiT Counts are intended to count the minimum number of individuals experiencing homelessness in an area. During the Counts, volunteers, agencies, municipalities, and outreach workers visit locations in their communities to learn more from those who are unhoused.
Learning more about our communities
Over two separate days, the Central & Northern Vancouver Island team had the privilege of meeting and listening to personal stories from individuals in the community PiT Counts in Nanaimo and Cowichan. This event was funded by Government of Canada’s Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.
Each PiT Count is unique, particular to the community and its residents. In Cowichan, surveyors were sent out to different locations to hand out wellness bags and conduct surveys. In Nanaimo, three locations were set up, including at a regularly held BBQ by Snuneymuxw First Nation, to hand out wellness bags, speak with individuals about the survey, and connect them with services.
Listening to personal stories and experiences is not something to be taken lightly. Training is an important aspect for all volunteers as they balance an individuals’ dignity and privacy with the need to ask questions to better understand the impacts of homelessness.
The importance of PiT Counts
The Counts are also more than just a way to collect data about the impact of homelessness in our communities though; it is an opportunity to connect with and build a pathway home for many experiencing homelessness, especially Indigenous people.
The importance of PiT Counts is invaluable, helping communities determine the outcomes and prevalence of homelessness, as well as gaps in services. Results from the Counts help shape public policy, future services, and funding priorities. As one example, the lack of accessible services expressed by many with lived experience has led to collaborative approaches in setting up year-round Drop-In Hubs in central locations in various cities.
The results from the latest PiT Counts are still being collated, but the stories that were shared are already making an impact.