Reflecting on My Time at AHANS as a Dalhousie Co-op Student

By Alison—AHANS Marketing Coordinator

As I wrap up my co-op placement at AHANS through Dalhousie University, I’ve been reflecting on how valuable this experience has been. When I first joined the organization, I was excited to learn more about nonprofit work and affordable housing, but I had no idea how much I’d learn and grow over my time here.

I’ve learned so much about how a nonprofit like AHANS operates—from how By-Name List statistics are gathered and formatted, to how housing developments are managed. I also gained a better understanding of how partner organizations support tenants in transitional housing, which has been very inspiring to see in action.

One of my first projects was helping to refresh AHANS’s website. This involved diving deep into the organization's history and core values, collaborating with the web designer to modernize the look and feel, and updating blog content to keep the site current. It was a crash course in web design and digital storytelling, building on material I learned through the Dalhousie commerce program.

I also had the chance to kickstart AHANS’s social media presence. This meant researching the homelessness crisis, creating infographics that may be used once the accounts are up and running, and learning to build a content calendar to guide future posts. It was important to me that our content wasn’t just informative, but also accessible and engaging, so more people could learn about the work AHANS and its partners are doing. 

Before this co-op, I had a surface-level understanding of the housing crisis. But my time at AHANS gave me a more nuanced, in-depth view. I saw how rising rental rates, population growth, and low vacancy rates connect—and how these factors contribute to a growing need for affordable housing. I also learned about chronic homelessness, a topic I wasn’t familiar with before. It was eye-opening to understand that chronic homelessness often stems from systemic issues that require more than just a housing solution—they require compassion, support, and systemic change.

One of the most rewarding parts of my placement was seeing how AHANS collaborates with partner organizations like the Coverdale Justice Society, Adsum for Women and Children, the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre, and the North End Community Health Centre. These partnerships are making a real difference in the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness, and being able to witness that firsthand was inspiring.

Overall, this co-op experience has shaped not only my understanding of the housing crisis but also my professional goals. It gave me hands-on experience in digital marketing and showed me the power of communication in driving awareness and change. I am very grateful to the AHANS team for welcoming me and allowing me to be part of such meaningful work.