The Building Blocks of Service Excellence 

This day-long session will focus on the foundations of evidence informed and housing focused service delivery to households experiencing crisis and homelessness. The following topics will be covered during this training day: 

 

Introduction to Motivational Interviewing and Assertive Engagement: This is a non- clinical introduction to the core concepts of motivational interviewing, including an understanding of change, and the applicability of motivational interviewing in homelessness and housing service programs. Attendees of the training will also be introduced to assertive engagement and its relationship to motivational interviewing. 

 

Introduction to Trauma Informed Care: This is a non-clinical introduction to the core concepts of trauma-informed care, the central tenets of a trauma-informed service orientation, and the importance and applicability of a trauma-informed approach in homelessness and housing service programs. 

 

Reducing Harm in Homelessness and Housing Services: The basics of harm reduction and wellness promotion related to substance use, higher risk activities, and compromised mental wellness are covered, with practical considerations in homelessness and housing service program applications. 

 

Prevention and Diversion, including Homelessness Proofing: The quest to reduce the inflow into the homelessness response system and to increase the outflow of people experiencing homelessness into housing demands that all service providers understand the opportunities and approaches that can ensure that homelessness (including a return to homelessness) is not a reality for people experiencing a housing crisis. Understanding the applications of evidence informed prevention, diversion and resolution of housing crises will be essential for all agencies operating in the sector. 

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Excellence in Housing Supports and Case Management Practices (Housing-Based Case Management) 

The training focuses on how to support people experiencing homelessness through the activities and approaches dedicated to assisting households return to housing and maintain it long term. In addition to promotion of housing first aligned practices, this session will focus on optimizing on a strength based and trauma informed approach in the important work of housing location and stabilization. This training will assist practitioners in shifting from a focus of “checking in” with clients to deliberately implementing individualized service planning and action focused strategies to support households. This session will also focus on ethics and boundaries within a housing support context. 

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Impactful Street Outreach and Encampment Response 

OrgCode assists communities address the unprecedented realities of unsheltered homelessness facing communities across North America. The focus of this course is how to have an impact in street outreach such that people can move from being unsheltered to having a place to call home. Among the topics covered: safe and respectful engagement; understanding unsheltered homelessness; distinguishing contact driven outreach from housing-focused outreach; clarifying the role of outreach; interface with law enforcement; the service orientation for effective outreach; assessing encampments; and measuring outreach. This training session will also focus on service delivery that aligns with ethical and person-centered practices that promote both service provider and participant safety and dignity. 

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Excellence in Housing-Focused Shelter Services 

As pioneers in housing-focused sheltering, we distill years of implementation into the core considerations of ensuring a shelter is housing-focused and through targeted service supports, reduce lengths of stay and increase positive exits from shelter. Committed to strategies and approaches that ensure shelter is a process rather than a destination, OrgCode’s day-long training focuses on how to ensure people only stay in shelter if there are no other safe and appropriate options, and if they do stay in shelter to ensure the stay is as supportive, but as brief as possible. Topics covered include reimagining intake; diversion practices that work; enhanced engagement early in shelter stays; identifying and rejuvenating connections with longer-term stayers; examining staff roles across shifts; examining amenities and activities; appropriate rules and expectations; and, core service orientation, including ethics and boundaries within a shelter setting. 

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