Centre 507 Association of Ottawa
Lead Organization: Centre 507 Association of Ottawa
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Serving: Ottawa
Why Many homeless individuals staying in shelters in the evening and overnight have nowhere to go during the day. The drop-in is a welcoming destination for them throughout the year. The drop-in is also intended for individuals living in sub-standard bachelor apartments, or in rooming houses, who are often without a telephone or opportunities to socialize.
What The organization focuses on meeting the immediate needs of people who use the drop-in, with the objective of making other services and resources available to them once they have reached a level of comfort with the Centre 507 staff.
Hot drinks and snacks are available at the drop-in. Clients can socialize, read, play cards, etc. Through the Centre they can access basic supplies (toiletries such as soap and shampoo), clothing, advocacy and referrals to other agencies (job training or housing programs, for example). The Centre offers supportive listening for clients, but not formal counselling.
Since 1996, Centre 507 has also run a street outreach program, engaging people on the street, providing care packages, and promoting awareness of available services, including the drop-in, health services and other assistance.
The centre runs a pre-employment training program consisting of bi-weekly support groups and occasional workshops. A quarter of participants in the program go on to obtain employment or pursue more intensive training.
The drop-in hosts weekly information and discussion sessions and bring in staff from a variety of agencies, including: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, Causeway Work Centre, Centretown Community Health Centre, Ontario Disability Support Program, and the Royal Ottawa Hospital. These sessions help clients obtain information about health issues, housing assistance programs, local harm reduction initiatives, and the City’s needle exchange.
Who Centre 507 is a day program funded in part by the City of Ottawa, and an outreach ministry of McLeod-Stewarton United Church and the United Church of Canada, Montreal and Ottawa Conference.
Those who use the drop-in or are clients of Centre 507’s street outreach program may be living on the streets, using local shelters or living in temporary or sub-standard housing, or rooming houses. Many live with mental illness and addictions and a significant number are recovering from substance abuse. Many face loneliness and social isolation. Seventy to 120 individuals use the drop-in program each day.
How The drop-in centre is open weekday afternoons; Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday (their busiest day).
For a number of years the street outreach program operated 24 hours per week. With new funding, the centre is able to make the service available 40 hours per week. Outreach includes seeking out people living on the street who may need special assistance, as well as visits to rooming houses to provide tenants with basic supplies and social contact.
Results For some members of the community, Centre 507 may be their only contact with harm reduction and medical programs. For at risk individuals, the centre’s programs may mean the difference between surviving in their current circumstances – whether in rooming houses or other individual accommodation – and ending up on the street.
The population is transient, which makes longer-term follow up very difficult. However, there are relative successes with people who find the support they need to face an addiction, start job training, or strengthen their personal relationships.
What's Been Learned In the past, Centre 507 ran community development projects that taught participants occupational skills. The job training program grew to the point were it was transferred to another agency that could make more resources available. The experience showed that while some people benefited from the job-training skills, many people using the drop-in required pre-employment support: life skills, and increased self-esteem and self-reliance. The centre now focuses on these needs.
Collaboration with other agencies has benefited clients. Linking clients with services such as mental health support, housing help and other community agencies has proven an efficient way to provide information and access to those who most need it. It has allowed Centre 507 to focus on meeting the immediate needs of the drop-in users without stretching scarce resources and duplicating services already available.
What Comes Next Centre 507 hopes to expand drop-in and street outreach, depending on funding available.
