ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT - Victoria Homelessness
E N G A G E M E N TT O O LK I TPeople with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital RegionJune 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTSWHO IS THE TOOLKIT FOR?.1BEFORE YOU BEGIN.2HOW IS THIS TOOLKIT ORGANIZED?.21. INFORM.32. CONSULT.33. INVOLVE.34. COLLABORATE.35. EMPOWER.3TOOLS FOR INFORMING.5Word-of-Mouth.5Peer Support Workers.6Presentations.6Printed Materials.7Social Media & Messaging.8Apps & Websites .9Storytelling.9TOOLS FOR CONSULTING. 11Focus Groups. 11Interviews & Conversations. 12Motivational Interviewing. 13Surveys. 13TOOLS FOR INVOLVING. 15Tenant Meetings. 15Workshops. 15Community Liaisons & Commissions. 16TOOLS FOR COLLABORATING. 19Partnerships in Decision Making. 19Advisory Committees. 20ENGAGEMENT FRAMEWORK: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 2017
TOOLS FOR EMPOWERING. 23Speakers’ Bureaus. 23Decision Making. 23Participatory Budgeting. 24Training. 25CONCLUDING COMMENTS. 26We’d Like Your Feedback!. 26The authors and contributors to this booklet acknowledgewe are on the unceded traditional territory ofthe Lkwungen (Songhees), Wyomilth (Esquimalt),and WSÁNEĆ (Saanich) peoples of the Coast and Straits Salish.This project was funded in part by the Government of Canada’s Homelessness Partnering Strategy.The opinions and interpretations in this publication are those of the author, and do not necessarilyreflect those of the Government of Canada, or of the Capital Regional District of Victoria BC.ENGAGEMENT FRAMEWORK: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 2017
The booklet sets out tools and techniques that have been well received or recommendedby people who are, or have been, homeless. The tools have also proven to be effective forthe individuals and organizations that are undertaking various types of engagement. They weresourced from organizations in the capital region, as well as through a review of documents,and telephone calls, with organizations in North America that undertake regular and ongoingengagement with homeless people.This booklet has a buddy — Engagement Framework — that sets out principles, levels of engagement,and practices for engaging people with experience of homelessness in a meaningful, respectful, andpowerful way.WHO IS THIS TOOLKIT FOR?Similar to the companion Engagement Framework booklet, this Toolkit was prepared primarily for staffmembers of organizations in the Capital Region who have frequent contact with people who haveexperienced homelessness, whether today or in the recent past. These include: Front-line workers and outreach staff in housing, health, corrections, youth aging out of care, andcommunity-based organizations whose mandates includes assisting people who are homeless or at-riskof homelessness. Some of these include workers at: Seasonal and year-round shelters; Transitional housing; Low barrier health clinics; Harm reduction locations; Agencies who are delivering the Homeless Outreach Program; and Organizations whose focus is on people with special needs (e.g., AIDS/HIV, PEERS, youth-at-risk,brain injury).Staff from municipalities and electoral areas, academics, and practitioner researchers may also find thematerial useful as they engage with people who have experienced being without a stable home; and whoare currently or have been clients of housing, health, corrections, youth aging-out of care, and communitybased organizations.ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 20171
BEFORE YOU BEGINBefore you start, it is important to ask a few questions to help you set up your engagementprocess and select your tools: What are your reasons for engagement? Are you clear about the issue, concern, project, or program that you want feedback about? Has this project involved participants in the past? What were the outcomes? What support do you have from leadership to ensure engagement is successful? Do staff see the value and benefit in partnering with participants? Do staff have the time and resources to support participants in the engagement process? How will you communicate with participants about how you can act on their input?HOW IS THE TOOLKIT ORGANIZED?The Toolkit is organized according to five levels of engagement, derived from materialsdeveloped by the International Association of Participation (IAP2), one of the most frequentlycited sources for stakeholder and public engagement best practices.LEVEL ECOLLABORATEEMPOWERLead agency,organization orlocal governmentLead agency,organization orlocal governmentLead agency,organization orlocal governmentShared betweenparticipants & leadagency, organizationor local governmentParticipantsENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 2017
1INFORMThis type of engagement is essentially a one-way communication. Stakeholders told us thatword-of-mouth, or being informed in-person by a staff member, are the preferred ways ofcommunication. Posters, presentations, media releases, handouts, brochures, podcasts, videostreaming, and social media posts are also widely used in this level of engagement.uu YOUR COMMITMENT:“We will keep you informed.”uu THE DECISION MAKER: The lead agency, organization, or local government.2CONSULTThe preferred forms for consultation are interviews, focus groups, tenant meetings, surveys, and openhouses. This method is typically used to seek feedback and comments on a topic of common interest.uu YOUR COMMITMENT:“We will listen to your input; it will influence the final decision.”uu THE DECISION MAKER: The lead agency, organization, or local government.34INVOLVEThis method assumes continuing contact with participants throughout the process, and includesworkshops, World Cafés, advisors, and liaisons.uu YOUR COMMITMENT: “You will be involved in the process; your input will be reflected inthe final decision.”uu THE DECISION MAKER: The lead agency, organization, or local government.COLLABORATEThis level of engagement works with participants (stakeholders, public-at-large) during each part of theprocess, including the development of options, and identification of preferred outcomes. Collaborationcan include task forces, advisory committees, or participatory decision making processes.uu YOUR COMMITMENT:“We will look to you for advice, innovation, and solutions that willdirectly affect the final decision.”uu THE DECISION MAKER: Shared between the participants and the lead agency, organization,or local government.5EMPOWERFor this level of engagement, final decisions are made by the participants (stakeholders, public-atlarge) through such methods as stakeholder votes or public referendums.uu YOUR COMMITMENT: “We will implement what you decide, and empower you to influencethe system.”uu THE DECISION MAKER: The participants.ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 20173
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Word-of-MouthINFORMMTOOLS FOR INFORMINGThe best way to spread the word about a program or event is through staff and volunteers alreadyproviding services, such as outreach teams and peer support workers. Partnering with organizationsworking directly with those who are homeless, and having them share information with the people theymeet every day can be very effective.If the people you want to inform are homeless, engage them where they are — in a shelter, a drop-in centre,a safe injection site, or food line-up. If they are recently housed, or on the verge of homelessness, the bestlocations for interacting are SROs (single room occupancy hotels), transitional housing, supportive housing,food line-ups, and drop-in centres.Information is best when passed through a familiar way to communicate. For example, if there is a regionalemail list that includes all homeless service providers, request them to send it out. If there is a homelessnessround table, outreach meetings, or other kinds of networking and partnership events for homelessproviders, request that your information be added to their agendas.EXAMPLES When Extreme Weather Shelters are open in Greater Victoria or on the LowerMainland, a network of partners are notified to immediately begin spreading theword to those who need it. Drop-in centre staff, outreach teams, safe injectionsite workers, library staff, and members of faith-based organizations begin to letpeople know when and where the shelters are open. Once people on the street areinformed, they share the information with those they know. The North Shore Homelessness Task Force (Vancouver) has an email list thatincludes all shelters and homeless service providers in West Vancouver, the Districtof North Vancouver, and the City of North Vancouver. When new informationis shared with the list, it is up to each recipient organization to ensure its staff isinformed, and prioritize the sharing of information with clients.MENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 20175
Peer Support WorkersPeer support workers are important parts of the informing process. The trust they have developed withclients, and their knowledge of services puts them in an ideal position to keep people informed. It isimportant to know which organizations have peer support workers, and create a system for keeping theminformed, because the more they know, the more people on the streets will know!EXAMPLECoast Mental Health employs peer support workers with lived experience of mental illnessand its treatment. These workers are a vital resource to clients, providing information aboutservices, assisting with accessing services, and sharing their own stories.PresentationsPreparing a short presentation to inform people takes time, but can be well worth the effort in terms ofinformation actually being heard and understood by the community. Presentations can be online videos,podcasts, or in-person. Presentations can piggyback on events already happening in the community, such as tenant meetings,drop-in centre events, or even food line-ups. Meant to inform, presentations should be short (lessthan eight minutes), to the point, and share practical information, such as when, where, and how thecommunity can be involved. Presentations can also be made in places where people congregate, such as parks, community centres,and libraries. Use your presentation to share the vision of why this issue/project is important, and whypeople should want to take part. Whenever possible for in-person or video presentations, use visuals to express information. The morecreative your presentation, the more likely people will notice and remember it.EXAMPLEMegaphone’s Hope in Shadows calendars in Victoria and Vancouver feature photographythat highlights the lives of the people who sell the calendars. The community is invited tovote on the final 13 photos to be included in the calendar. A presentation tent showcasingthe photos travels to different parts of each city where community members gather.6ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 2017
INFORMPrinted MaterialsPrinted materials are a common method for sharing information, and can include posters,pamphlets, handouts (postcard or business card size), and small flyers, as well as ads in newspapers,on billboards, and in Megaphone Magazine. Printed materials should include the text needed tocommunicate the necessary information: who, what, when, where, why, and how. In the Capital Region, English is the language most widely used. If, however, an engagementinvolves participants whose first language is not English, consider having materials translated.For example, the City of Vancouver and the City of Richmond print communication materials inseveral languages. As with all communications, print materials should contain only essential information, and have acompelling graphics that attract attention.EXAMPLES The Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness (GVCEH) uses many avenues toreach out to those who are, or have been, homeless, as well as to other stakeholdersand the community at-large. Two of the GVCEH’s documents are highlighted here: The Street Survival Guide is a one-stop resource for those experiencing (or atrisk of) homelessness in Greater Victoria. Created by a group of dedicatedindividuals with street-life experience, the document is updated al-guide/ The Messaging Toolkit was written for stakeholders and staff of organizationsworking with homeless people to ensure consistent messaging whencommunicating with the public, volunteers, or the ces/messaging-toolkit/Megaphone Magazine shares information with the homeless, and those who supportthe homeless, and provides opportunities for advertising in its issues.www.megaphonemagazine.com/ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 20177
Social Media & MessagingNon-profit groups, aid organizations, and rights advocates are increasingly using social media to connectwith people who are homeless. Those without a stable home, especially youth and young adults, also puta high value on the devices that keep them connected. Even though people in the Capital Region usesocial media in their personal lives, they are not yet using it as a means of engaging with service providers.However, this situation is likely to change, and organizations should be prepared to communicate this way. Start by finding out what social media platforms your participants/clients are using. Are they using textmessages through their phones, or messagingapps like Messenger, WhatsApp, or Slack?They may use social media platforms, suchas Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, orYouTube to stay informed or in touch. The keyto successful digital communication is to keepchecking in to make sure you are using the bestmethods for your messages. Be agile and opento multiple paths. Do not assume you are connecting with everyone.Recognize that this is only an important methodof communicating for some participants. Increasingly, non-profits use social media (e.g.,Facebook, Twitter) to communicate with donorsand community supporters. Consider having apage for your clients and those you serve. Evenbetter, find a volunteer or person with livedexperience that can partner with a staff memberto manage the page. Create a social media policy that outlinescommunication “dos and don’ts” for yourorganization. These guidelines should provideguidance for dealing with negative onlinefeedback, and help ensure your posts reflect thevalues of the organization.A 2011 study by the University ofSouthern California School (USC) ofSocial Work found that 62% ofhomeless teens had a phone, and adata plan. They viewed the deviceto be as important for them as food.While the study focused on teens,homelessness advocates andorganizations are convinced thatconnecting by social media is thewave of the future. Five years later, the USC of SocialWork found that use of social mediawas accelerating — 96% of 436homeless individuals had a cellphone(62% had a smartphone). Based oninteractions with homeless people,the authors concluded that bothcellphone and internet access cankeep people from social isolation, andhelp them integrate back into society.EXAMPLESVisit these websites to see the power of social media for connecting with those who areexperiencing homelessness. The videos are especially relevant, practical, and cthomelessconnect.org/about/videos/ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 2017
INFORMApps & WebsitesCell phone apps and websites can be a creative way of sharing information with participants aboutservices and opportunities, especially for youth and those with smart phone access.Many organizations have websites, but most are directed to potential funders, community members,and other organizations. Consider creating a section dedicated to clients, or potential clients, thatincludes an easy to understand description (or map) of how to access your organization’s servicesand where to start.To create an app, you need a good understanding of who the app is for, and what you want those peopleto get from using it. The following article by Techsoup includes app development resources for non-profitorganizations: www.techsoup.org/transforming-communities.EXAMPLES NoAppFee.com is used in Portland, Oregon to share affordable housing opportunitieswith homeless people. In partnership with the Portland Housing Bureau, the app is part ofan online affordable housing application system. www.noappfee.com/noappfee/#/ We Are Visible is a social media site that explains how easy it is to set up a Gmail account,a Facebook page, a Twitter account, and how to blog. lling is a way for people who are homeless,or precariously housed, to help others who aretravelling the same journey. Stories can be sharedthrough social media, online, in writing, or inperson. It is important to be thoughtful as you tellindividual’s stories. Have honest discussions abouthow anonymous storytellers would like to be, andthe potential consequences of having their storiespublic. If they want to remain anonymous, you canchange their names, include pictures without theirfaces (it could be their environment or just theirhands), or only share their stories in person.Look at why you want to share certain stories. Areyou hoping to tell people about your servicesthrough a story? Will it inspire others to change?Once you understand your why, you can findthe right people, and mentor them through thestorytelling process.EXAMPLES 25,300 people follow Mark Horvath, a previously periodically homeless man in LosAngeles. His Twitter handle is www.twitter/hardlynormal miraclemessages.org posts short unedited video messages to loved ones fromindividuals who are homeless. Salvation Army ARC Women’s Transition House uses storytelling to inform women aboutit services, including stories of Resilience and The Faces of Domestic Abuse videos.ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 20179
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LTCONSULTLTTOOLS FOR CONSULTINGFocus groups and face-to-face interviews are the preferred means for consulting with peoplewho are homeless.Focus GroupsA focus group is a gathering of a small number of people(ideally, 6 to 8) , who are then led through an open discussionby an experienced facilitator who is trusted by the participants.The group needs to be large enough to generate a thoroughdiscussion, but not so large as to dilute the meeting, or not giveeveryone opportunity to participate.The open format covers a series of 8 to 10 pre-determinedquestions, with the goal of generating the maximum numberof opinions and ideas from all participants, within the allottedtime frame. It is the facilitator’s job to create an environmentwhere it is safe to talk freely.A focus group is NOT: A debate A conflict resolution session A problem solving session An education session Group therapy Eliot & AssociatesA successful, and well executed focus group, or series of focus groups, requires thoughtful planning: Recognize that it can take up to four or more weeks from beginning to plan a focus group to theactual event. Recruiting participants may involve word-of-mouth, or posters in places frequented by people who arehomeless, such as Our Place, Rock Bay Landing, libraries, and community and seniors centres. A cashincentive should be noted on the poster. Sixty to 90 minutes is an ideal timeframe. Any longer than this and some participants may lose interest,or need to leave for other commitments; any less does not anticipate latecomers, and does not leavesufficient time for rich discussion and follow-up probing. Ideally, the focus group is conducted by a facilitator and an assistant. The moderator facilitates thediscussion, while the assistant takes notes and, if the group agrees, organizes a voice or video recorder.Explain why the focus group is being recorded, and who will have access to the data. Questions should be short, easily understood, open-ended, non-threatening or embarrassing, and eachquestion should be focused on one aspect of the topic. Following introductions and reiterating thepurpose of this focus group, there are three types of questions: Ice-breaker, such as “Have you lived somewhere other than Greater Victoria?”. Exploration, such as “Could you tell us what it’s like trying to find affordable housing in Victoria?” Closing, such as “Just before we wrap-up, are there any other thoughts you’d like to share?”, or“Have we missed something that needs to be discussed?”.ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 201711
Focus groups work best when participants build on one another’s comments rather than continuallyresponding directly to the moderator. As participants share experiences, debate ideas, and offeropinions, the moderator should begin to play a less central role. Some groups arrive at this pointquickly, while others never quite get there. Consider providing a certificate of appreciation to acknowledge their participation.EXAMPLES The City of Victoria held focus groups with Rock Bay Landing residents during theupdate of the Neighbourhood Plan for the Burnside-Gorge community. Both Rock Bay Landing and Sandy Merriman House hosted micro-housingconsultations involving the Coalition to End Homelessness, the Committee to EndHomeless Victoria, and the Greater Victoria Public Library.Interviews & ConversationsMeeting face-to-face with individuals is often the best way to consult, especially when you needto explore a topic and learn new information. This method lets people tell their stories more freelythan in a group setting, and avoids the impersonal nature of a survey. The following are a few tips forsuccessful interviews sourced from social planning researchers.12 Ask agencies for permission to conduct interviews with their clients/residents, and find out what theyrecommend for recruiting interviewees about the specific topic. If there are several interviewers, have a training session with them to review the goals, purpose, method,and approach for the engagement process, including the interview questions. Training will also addressmatters, such as confidentiality, anonymity, body language, clothing, interviewee compensation,recording, and note taking. Consider having each interviewer sign an oath of confidentiality. Consider having each interviewee sign a consent form, which includes a statement of how theirresponses will be reported and used. Ensure that interviews take place somewhere where both parties feel safe and comfortable. Ideally, thelocation will be reasonably quiet, private, and have few distractions. Ensure your budget for interviews includes an honorarium to show respect for the time and informationprovided by the participant.ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT: People with Lived Experience in BC’s Capital Region June 2017
CONSULTMOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWINGMotivational interviewing is a tool that focuses on allowing the client to directchange, rather than telling the client what they need to do — this is a conversationabout changing their lives. This is a “person-centred, goal-oriented, guidedmethod to enhance motivation to change”. This video talks about the concepts and successes of motivationalinterviewing — www.youtube.com/watch?v wepwlY-YsXs.SurveysSurveys are efficient ways of gathering information from larger numbers of participants, usually 30 . Thereare five components of every solidly built and administered survey:1. Who is the “universe” (the target group)? This anticipates all people who could be involved. Isthe universe everyone who has lived experience of homelessness in the Capital Region, or a subgroup (e.g., youth, seniors, people with physical disabilities, etc.), or tenants of an existing shelter orsupportive housing?2. Once the universe is established, develop the questionnaire specifically for the target group.3. Keep the questionnaire to as few questions as possible to achieve the intended purpose. It could beas short as a few questions, for example in a shelter facility that has shared amenities, “Are the showerssuitable for your needs? If not, why?” “Are the showers available at convenient times? If not, why not?”4. Share the questionnaire on paper, on a tablet, or online. If the person who is administering the surveyis doing so via paper or a table
pamphlets, handouts (postcard or business card size), and small flyers, as well as ads in newspapers, on billboards, and in Megaphone Magazine. Printed materials should include the text needed to communicate the necessary information: who, what, when, where, why, and how. In the
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