Inaugural Point-in-Time (PiT) Homeless Count comes to Nelson
By Brendan Quinn
Beginning Tuesday, the Nelson Committee on Homelessness (NCOH), along with volunteers and partners, will conduct Nelson’s first ever Point-in-Time (PiT) Homeless Count.
A Point-In-Time (PiT) Count is a voluntary survey conducted over a 24-hour period to gather information about the extent and nature of homelessness in Nelson.
The survey is part of a coordinated effort across Canada through the Federal Homelessness Partnering Strategy Program. From January to April cities across the country will be taking part in these counts and surveys, with Nelson’s taking place next week.
On the evening of Tuesday (April 12th) sheltered locations will be surveyed. Organizations like Stepping Stones and Transition House, as well as short-term, transitional housing will be surveyed Tuesday night.
Teams of volunteers will hit the streets on Wednesday throughout Nelson, which has been sectioned into five zones. These volunteers will be out on the street and at service locations to try and locate and interview people who are suffer from either chronic or cyclical homelessness.
“We’re trying to stress that it’s one time for them to have their voices heard,” said Ann Harvey of the NCOH, who will be leading the survey.
“Because of the way the survey is structured, we’re trying to hear from them what they say their service needs are. That’s the purpose really; to try and improve the service and program options for people,” she said.
Harvey said that she is hoping that the information can be used by service agencies, but also all levels of government, from municipal and provincial up to the federal level as well as funders and charity organizations to pinpoint the concerns of those living on the streets and improve the services aimed to help them.
“It’s a snapshot, if you will, of the extent and nature of homelessness in nelson and help make the case for what’s needed,” Harvey said.
Nelson in particular seems to attract people living without a home, and Harvey said that there are a few reasons for that. The major motivating factor seems to be the same reason everyone comes here: the warm and welcoming population.
“I think in a way it’s related to Nelson’s attraction generally, it’s a very welcoming community,” she said.
“For young people it’s very attractive in terms of the arts and music scene as well as the festivals that happen throughout the year. It’s also kind of on the way for a lot of people going form east to west during the spring and summer.”
However, it is the goal of the count to focus on those who are here permanently, and not the transient population that comes and goes.
“I have to say that although we’re surveying travelers coming through and trying to get a better handle on how long they’re staying or what kind of services are using, our main intention is to look at people who are residents in Nelson,” Harvey said.
Volunteers will be out Wednesday sporting orange and white badges, and Harvey is encouraging those living without stable housing to approach them and speak up. The face of homelessness looks different for everybody she said, and volunteers can’t know at a glance who is homeless and who isn’t.
“Whether they find us at the service locations or walking on the street, if they’ve got a story to tell or want to share their situation with us to come up to us,” she said.
“And for other Nelsonites, if you see us walking around [know that] we’re approaching everybody and to treat our volunteers kindly.”
