Community Integration of Women Who Have Experienced Homelessness

1
Community Integration of Women Who Have
Experienced Homelessness
Beyond Re-Housing

• Rebecca Nemiroff, Tim Aubry, Fran Klodawsky
• Centre for Research on Community Services
• University of Ottawa

2
Physical Integration

• Obtaining and retaining stable housing

3
Economic Integration

• Participation in work or education

4
Psychological Integration

• Psychological sense of community A feeling of
  belonging with others
• e.g., I like to think of myself as similar to the
  people who live in my neighbourhood

5
Pathway Model Testing the Links
6
Family Status

• Single women
• 55 of the original 83 participants were
  re-interviewed in Phase II (66)
• Women in families
• 46 of the original 70 participants were
  re-interviewed in Phase II (66)

7
Social Isolation

• Overall, participants reported fairly low levels
  of satisfaction with social support (Mean 11.5
  out of a possible score of 30).

8
Psychological Distress

• There were no differences in psychological
  functioning between women in families and single
  women
• Overall levels of distress were greater than for
  the general population

9
Homelessness History

• On average, the women in this study had
  experienced 3 episodes of homelessness and had
  spent 15 months homeless over their lifetimes

10
Human Capital

• The majority of participants had a high school
  education or higher (63)
• On average, participants had spent 43 of the
  time working since age 16.

11
Subsidized Housing

• A majority of participants who were housed (66)
  reported living in subsidized housing
• Women in families (82) were more likely than
  single women (41) to report living in subsidized
  housing
• Current policies give priority to families

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Results Physical Integration

• The majority of participants (83) had been
  housed for 90 days or more
• Women in families (96) were more likely than
  single women (73) to be housed

13
Results Economic Integration

• Overall, 40 of participants reported they were
  either working or attending school
• 23 were currently working for pay
• 21 were currently attending courses or school,
  mostly part-time
• Women in families were more likely than single
  women to be economically integrated

14
Results Psychological Integration

• Overall, participants reported a low to moderate
  level of psychological integration (mean 40 out
  of a possible score of 60)
• There were no differences between single women
  and women in families

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Conclusions

• Some news is good
• A majority of women were housed
• Many, albeit a minority (40), were working or
  attending courses
• But
• Many participants (20) reported additional
  episodes of homelessness during the study period
• On average, participants spend over half their
  income (58) on rent
• Levels of psychological integration were low
  people did not express a sense of belonging where
  they live

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Implications for Policies and Practice

• Increased subsidized housing, particularly for
  single women
• Increased employment and educational support
  programs, particularly at the post-secondary
  level
• Increased opportunities for social interaction
  and community involvement e.g.
• Leadership program
• Discovery University
• Volunteer opportunities
• Church-based social activities
• Importance of drop-in centres