Posted 30 August 2008 - 09:12 PM
VICTORIA COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS NOW A NONPROFIT SOCIETY
C-FAX News
Aug 30, 2008
THE GREATER VICTORIA COALITION TO END HOMELESSNESS HAS BEEN FORMALLY REGISTERED AS A NON-PROFIT SOCIETY, AND HAS BEGUN HIRING STAFF TO START WORK ON THE PROBLEM.
THE COALITION IS THE RESULT OF THE MAYOR'S TASK FORCE ON HOMELESSNESS THAT REPORTED LAST FALL, RECOMMENDING A REGIONAL APPROACH TO THE ISSUE.
IT HAS NOT CRYSTALLIZED QUICKLY. IN FACT IT'LL BE NEXT MONTH BEFORE THE THREE EMPLOYEES ARE IN PLACE IN PERMANENT OFFICES IN A VANCOUVER ISLAND HEALTH AUTHORITY BUILDING ON PANDORA STREET.
THE FIRST YEAR OPERATING BUDGET HAS BEEN SET AT LESS THAN 500 THOUSAND DOLLARS FUNDED JOINTLY BY V-I-H-A; THE CAPITAL REGIONAL DISTRICT; AND THE UNITED WAY.
THE COALITION'S LEADERSHIP COUNCIL IS PLANNING A MEETING FOR LATE SEPTEMBER TO SET PRIORITIES, WHICH SHOULD GUIDE ITS ACTIVITIES FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS OR MORE.
ONE INSIDER SAYS THE MOST OBVIOUS GAP IN THE STRUCTURE AT THIS POINT IS A LACK OF FIRST NATIONS REPRESENTATION, AND AN EFFORT WILL HAVE TO BE MADE TO INCLUDE THAT GROUP.
IT'S NOT CLEAR YET WHETHER ALAN LOWE PLANS TO REMAIN A CO-CHAIR AFTER HE RETIRES AS MAYOR LATER IN THE FALL.
- fms / ADAM STIRLING
--------------
I understand the biggest hurdle so far is labour. In this job market, finding qualified individuals with experience handling street people is incredibly difficult. In fact, a lot of the hiring is actually poaching--one local organization hires away someone from another organization. Finding someone with a First Nations background is even harder. This has been one of the main causes of the delay. But the hiring is not what worries me, it's the long-term funding. A Provincial election is coming up in a few months. What happens a year or two from now. One governments priority has a tendency to become a future governments pet project.