Hope for Homes: Volunteers learn how to help the homeless on P.E.I.

Over the years Raymond Guimondhas had several encounters wherepeople have come to him for help when they were homeless, or close to it, and he hasn't always known what he could do.

"Sometimes I had to offer my couch to some people,"Guimondsaid.

"You just don't know what to do."

Guimondis one of more than 20 members of the Native Council of P.E.I. learning about what resources are available in the province to prevent and reduce homelessness, in the hopes of helping others.

• Number of people accessing homeless shelters on the rise across P.E.I.

• Homeless women on P.E.I. have few options when cold sets in

NCPEIhas compiled a manual, called Hope for Homes, which outlines the various housing programs and community resources available in P.E.I.

It's really important that people feel comfortable asking for help.- Olivia Maynard

The 26-page document lists emergency shelters and various housing programs, as well as informationaboutother resources, such asemployment services, addictions and mental health services, food banks and soup kitchens.

Olivia Maynard,NCPEI'shomelessness reduction coordinator, saidpeople experiencing homelessness, or at risk of becoming homeless, often face a number of challenges beyond looking for a roof over their heads. She hopes having the information compiled in one place will make it easier for people to access the information they need.

"Having it all on paper in a manual, is something that can be distributed to people," said Maynard.

"Often the audience you're trying to reach, whenever it comes to homelessness, might not have access to a telephone or Internetto look up these resources on their own."

Maynard also hopes volunteers throughout the province will help spread information about what services are available.

"It's really important that people feel comfortable asking for help. Sosometimes that may be easier to do whenever you're reaching out to a family member, or friend or a neighbour," saidMaynard.

'At your fingertips'

Twenty-one volunteers have signed up so far, andNCPEIhas held training sessions in Kings, Queens, and Prince counties.

Bryan Hutchingssaidhe doesn't know much about the realities of homelessness in P.E.I., or the services available, and wanted to learn more.

Hutchingsrecently spoke with a young woman he saw panhandling in Charlottetownand wanted to help her,other than the women's shelter in Lennox Islandhe didn't know of any other services to direct her to.

"Just knowing the different shelters that are available, and whether they're for men, women, and under what conditions you can refer somebody to, and having the contact names of people in these various agencies pretty much at your fingertips [will be helpful]," Hutchingssaid.

He plans to keep the Hope for Homes manual in his car, in case it ever comes in handy.

Focus on Indigenous, rural

While Maynardhopes anyone who needs information will benefit from the Hope for Homes manual, it was specifically developed with Indigenous people and rural communities in mind.

In 2016, a point in time count conducted by the P.E.I. Community Advisory Board on Homelessness showed that Indigenous people made up 14 per cent of Islanders experiencing homelessness. Bycomparison, Indigenous people make up less than two per cent of the province's total population, according to Statistics Canada.

While the manual does include information on services in urban centres, Maynard said she particularly hopes it can help people living in rural communities,where she said it can be especially difficult to find and access services.

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