Acknowledging Truth and Working Towards Reconciliation
Join us at the WAG-Qaumajuq and Delta Hotels Winnipeg from December 3-5, 2024, in Winnipeg for the End Homelessness Together event hosted by End Homelessness Winnipeg and presented by MGEU. The event will gather sector folks, people with lived experience of homelessness, government, landlords, and businesses to find homelessness solutions.
Event schedule includes:
Day 1: Tuesday, December 3rd, 2024
WAG-Qaumajuq, 300 Memorial Blvd, Winnipeg
3:00pm-5:30pm
Event participants are welcome to the opening ceremony featuring cultural sharings, a conference overview, and a performance by a special musical guest. Meet other conference delegates and enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres and refreshments, and an artisan market featuring Indigenous makers!
Day 2: Wednesday, December 4th, 2024
Delta Hotels Winnipeg, 350 St Mary Ave, Winnipeg
7:30am-4:00pm
The day will begin in a good way with traditional ceremony. Followed by a keynote address by Niigaanwewidam Sinclair then breakout sessions covering topics such as: Homelessness and Missing Persons, Intersection of Brain Injury and Colonial Systems, Workplace Trauma and Healing, Understanding the Root of Indigenous Homelessness, Data Sovereignty- Indigenous vs Colonial Data systems, Transforming Shelter Spaces, and a Tea and Bannock Series with the End Homelessness Together Elders Committee! A question and answer session with local funding agencies and government completes the day.
Day 3: Thursday, December 5th, 2024
Delta Hotels Winnipeg, 350 St Mary Ave, Winnipeg
8:30am-4:00pm
More breakout sessions covering topics such as: Youth Experiences of Homelessness Through a Harm Reduction Lens, International Success Stories from Seattle and Houston, Value of Peer Engagement, and Supporting Newcomers Transition from Shelter to Permanent Housing. Professional development workshops on Stigma and Discrimination Through a Peer Lens, and Anti-Racism Training are also provided!
Are you interested in joining us?
For more information or questions, please contact conference@endhomelessnesswinnipeg.ca
The Winnipeg Street Census, also known as the Point-in-Time (PiT) Count, provides a 24-hour snapshot of homelessness in the city. It involves surveying unhoused individuals and collecting data from health, corrections, and child and family services (CFS) institutions on discharges into homelessness. Additionally, it incorporates data on shelter and transitional housing stays. This year, 60 communities across Canada will participate in the PiT Count.
Why the PiT Count Matters
The data collected from the PiT Count is vital for understanding the needs of those experiencing homelessness. It helps improve policies and programs intended to prevent and address homelessness in Winnipeg. Consistent methodology over time also enables the tracking of trends in homelessness. Moreover, the PiT Count report serves as a powerful advocacy tool, supporting calls for increased government investment in homelessness prevention and reduction. Many social service organizations reference the report when applying for funding.
Some communities use the PiT Count to update their By-Name-List, which tracks homelessness inflows and outflows. Winnipeg may explore this option in the future.
Methodological Changes for 2024
This year, the PiT Count will take place over four days, from November 6th to 9th, allowing us to reach more individuals. We are increasing our reliance on outreach teams, who have established strong relationships with the unhoused, reducing the need for extensive volunteer training. To better represent under-represented groups, we are hosting two magnet events in collaboration with MANSO, the Welcome Place, and other newcomer-serving agencies to engage more newcomers.
Base Sites and Coordination
The PiT Count will operate from four base sites: Thunderbird House, End Homelessness Winnipeg, The Link, and Mount Carmel Clinic. Volunteers and outreach teams will collect their survey package from these locations. Each site will have a coordinator to assist and guide the teams throughout the Count.
Volunteer Training
To ensure survey consistency, we have organized six in-person training sessions for over 230 volunteers. A few more training sessions are being organized for sector staff, including outreach teams.
Measures to Prevent Multiple Counting
We have implemented strategies to reduce the likelihood of multiple counting, including training surveyors to screen out participants who have been surveyed already and offering extra honoraria to deter individuals from completing multiple surveys. We will also identify and remove duplicate surveys using respondents’ demographic information.
Key Insights from the 2022 PiT Count
The 2022 PiT Count revealed significant findings:
- Indigenous peoples represented 75% of the unhoused population and were less likely to access shelters due to perceived discrimination.
- More than half of the participants had prior CFS involvement, with 92.3% identifying as Indigenous.
- Educational attainment was linked to homelessness, with over half of the participants lacking a high school diploma.
- Many cited low income as a primary cause of homelessness, despite over half receiving Employment and Income Assistance (EIA), highlighting the inadequacy of EIA support.
These findings emphasize the need for targeted interventions to address the root causes of homelessness in Winnipeg.
The Winnipeg Street Census is funded by Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy.
For more information, please contact streetcensus@endhomelessnesswinnipeg.ca