Survey Looks to Garner Community Perceptions of Homelessness
By Bob Hall
Gaining deeper understanding about community perceptions on homelessness is the focus of a Selkirk Innovates online survey that is now open to the public.
Selkirk College is inviting community members in Trail, Castlegar and Nelson to share their views on current conditions, services that support the unhoused, the well-being of the unhoused population, sources of information about the issue, and overall community engagement.
The survey is part of Selkirk Innovates’ three-year applied research project, Bridging Rural Homelessness and Well-being: A Sustainable and Collaborative Regional Response, aimed at improving the well-being of those experiencing homelessness in the West Kootenay.
“This survey is an important step toward understanding and addressing the unique challenges our communities are currently facing,” says Jen Preston, an instructor in the Selkirk College Bachelor of Science in Nursing Program and a Selkirk Innovates faculty researcher.
“By participating, community members can help us develop more effective, compassionate solutions and create a more inclusive and supportive environment for everyone in the West Kootenay.”
The data collected from the survey will be analyzed and compiled into a report, which will be shared with stakeholders and made publicly available on the Selkirk College website. The insights from this report will help inform local decision-makers in supporting the unhoused population, while also creating a safe and inclusive community for all.
The survey is anonymous and confidential. It should take about 15 to 20 minutes to complete. Participation is voluntary and you may quit or skip questions at any time.
“Gaining insight from the community is essential for a project like this one,” says Jayme Jones, lead researcher on the three-year project.
“We are now midway through the project and have received a lot of information and perceptions from those closest to the homelessness issue, including from those who are unhoused and those who support them. What is taking place in our communities impacts everyone, so it’s important we hear from a diversity of voices from residents as well. We just want to hear what people are thinking so that outcomes from this project can better resonate on a broader level.”
Upon completion, enter a prize draw for a $100 gift certificate to a local business of your choice and a $100 donation, on your behalf, to a social service organization in your community. Contact information collected for this prize draw will be collected separately from survey responses.
If people are interested in contributing further to this study on community perceptions of homelessness, an opt-in is also available to be considered for a focus group to discuss the survey results in-depth.
The survey will be open until August 19, 2024 and can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/CommunityPerceptionsHomelessness
For more information about the overall Bridging Rural Homelessness project, visit: https://selkirk.ca/about-selkirk/selkirk-innovates/social-innovation/bridging-rural-homelessness-and-well-being.
