Due to a lack of “sufficient internal capacity to provide consistent frontline outreach,” the GNWT is looking for organizations to provide outreach services to people experiencing homelessnes in Yellowknife, including those living in encampments.
Housing NWT announced the encampment outreach support project in a Tuesday news release.
“The overarching objective of this project is to reduce the harms associated with unsheltered homelessness by providing culturally grounded outreach, service navigation, transportation assistance, and referral coordination for individuals living in encampments and other unsheltered locations in Yellowknife,” a request for proposals states.
According to the request for proposals, the total budget for the project is $250,000.
The document states that “existing office-based and facility-based service delivery models do not consistently reach individuals living in encampments or other unsheltered settings.”
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“Outreach services are most effective when delivered by organizations with lived understanding of the experiences of Indigenous peoples and the broader social and historical factors that contribute to homelessness,” the request for proposals adds.
The successful contractor will be expected to provide “proactive outreach services,” including building relationships, conducting wellness checks, identifying immediate and emerging needs, providing information about available supports and services, and collecting basic information to support service coordination and planning.
The contractor will not be expected to deliver health, housing or emergency services, but will be required to work with the GNWT’s integrated service delivery team, non-governmental organizations and Indigenous governments and organizations to “facilitate connections between individuals and the services best suited to their identified needs.” The request for proposals said this would include referring unhoused people to available services and community-based resources.
The document also says the contractor is expected to provide transportation services in Yellowknife Ndilǫ, and Dettah with permission from Housing NWT.
The project will be funded through the federal government’s Unsheltered Homelessness and Encampment Initiative.
The GNWT said bids will be accepted until October 7 and a contract will be awarded by October 26 with services beginning on November 1.
