The HelpingHubs

By Ritika Arora
Category: 18 to 24 years old

Watch the Prezi!

Text from Presentation:

Poverty in Canada

• No official/ absolute definition
• Detected via indicators such as low income, inability to meet basic needs etc.
• Fluctuates from person to person (i.e. some are at a higher degree of poverty than others)
• Specific populations/ groups at higher risk of experiencing a state of poverty
• Gives rise to a myriad of physical and mental health conditions
• Complex and variable

The Idea

• Establish all-in-one hubs that cater to the specific socio-economic determinants of health within various poverty-dense communities
• Implement local advocacy initiatives
• Execute small-scale informative programming in community centres and libraries

What are HelpingHubs?

• Facilities that provide a variety of health care services, on-site educational programming, employment programs, residential/ housing support, specialized support groups (e.g. recovery programs for abuse/neglect, rehabilitation services, LGBTQ supports etc. )
• Allow individuals experiencing poverty to full fill their needs all under one roof
• Each HelpingHub facility would be specially tailored to the surrounding community, in order to deliver culturally contextualized support to Indigenous communities and various ethnic minorities; this would be accomplished through culture-specific training of youth workers and incorporation of spiritual and traditional practices ( e.g. Sweat Lodges to facilitate wellbeing and healing)
• A health care/ community setting solely devoted to aiding this population may also foster a sense of community and collective supportive, which may decrease the negative stigma and psychological feedback that is commonly experienced by such individuals

Evidence

• Covenant House Toronto (CHT) is Canada’s largest homeless youth agency
• Serves about 250 youth/ day and provides all-in-one support (similar to the potential HelpingHubs)
• 80% of operating budget comes from donors = proves feasibility of potential HelpingHubs
• More here: http://home.blnkpage.org/health-science/tackling-homelessness-health-roots/
• Thus, the nationwide poverty reduction strategy should mirror the work of CHT to some extent, as it has been very effective in holistically alleviating the stressors experienced by homeless youth

Advocacy

• To educate the public regarding the realities of those experiencing poverty, in order to reduce stigma and detrimental attitudes/behaviours towards such individuals
• Local outdoor events such as runs/walks & kite-flying events are very effective at gathering community members to support a specific cause
• Their ability to engage large amounts of community members can also be used to crowdsource funds for the HelpingHubs

Additional programming

• Consists of small-scale community programming such as workshops, information sessions and conversation circles
• Currently, there is a lack of widespread knowledge regarding community tools, resources and support networks for individuals at the brink of poverty
• Drop-in programming led by local libraries and community centres would allow such individuals to acquire resources, knowledge and support from professionals and various experts in the field
• Examples of workshop themes: employment services, housing support, finance management support, investment programs

In summary, the national poverty reduction strategy should incorporate the following elements:

• HelpingHubs fr individuals experiencing poverty
• Advocacy to educate individuals about poverty
• Additional Programming for individuals at the brink of poverty