Operator of Charlottetown’s Community Outreach Centre eyes move to a bigger space
Rising demand on the Neighborhood Outreach Centre in Charlottetown has its managers searching for a much bigger house.
It has been a yr and a half for the reason that provincially-funded centre opened at its present location within the former Charlottetown Curling Membership on Euston Avenue. That is the fourth location for the centre because it first opened in January 2020, at 211 Euston St.
The Journey Group took over the centre’s operation from the Salvation Military in April.
Roxanne Carter-Thompson, govt director of the Journey Group, stated the shopper load has been growing — from about 15 to start with to 258 in November — which she says represents a facility at capability.
“We’re operating out of house upstairs,” she stated in an interview from the centre’s new basement classroom house.
“It will get actually full, and when it will get too full, it simply overstimulates our friends, they usually really want to have an area the place there’s some quiet.”
On prime of that, she stated, “the wants are totally different than after they first began out two years in the past.”
To that finish, the Journey Group has submitted a proposal to the province for a brand new three-year-contract to run the outreach centre. It desires funding for extra employees, maybe together with a full-time trainer, nurse and custodian.
Carter-Thompson stated discussions on a brand new location are happening outdoors the group’s newest contract proposal, although.
Hopes for provincial partnership
Carter-Thompson desires to work extra intently with the province’s shelter system, together with the brand new modular items offering emergency in a single day shelter at Park Avenue in Charlottetown.
Ideally, she stated a brand new outreach centre could be positioned proper subsequent to these items, maybe in one of many provincially-owned buildings subsequent to the location.
She says that would supply 24-hour take care of these experiencing homelessness, one thing folks locally have been calling for.
In the mean time, purchasers have to go away at 8 a.m. every day, as a result of it is not supposed to offer all-day shelter.
A shuttle has been taking folks backwards and forwards from outreach centre to the Park Avenue modular items every day and evening.
Push for 24-hour care
Carter-Thompson stated it might make sense to maneuver the outreach centre nearer to the shelter items.
She stated that will let the Journey Group supply companies to folks each time they want it.
“Particularly within the winter months, it might be a lot simpler for folks to journey. They would not should take a shuttle. What occurs if the shuttles cannot run? Then think about if they may simply stroll out their door and the Neighborhood Outreach Centre was proper there.”
She’d additionally just like the province to fund extra employees positions in order that the outreach centre can assist extra folks develop expertise they should reside independently.
They’re providing “life expertise, GED, training, restoration conferences, to help them and align with what they’re doing at Park Avenue … to help folks to maneuver ahead,” stated Carter-Thompson.
‘Again on my toes once more’
A type of folks is Andrew Morrison, who has been learning for his GED on the outreach centre.
He began abusing medicine in highschool and by no means graduated, however he is been clear for 4 months now.
“I received kicked out of highschool after I was 17, and I confronted loads of trauma and stuff like that, and simply bullying,” he stated. “It is good to get again on my toes once more.”
Morrison has been dwelling in shelters and on the streets. He has a part-time job however desires extra work.
On Monday, he came upon he is been accepted right into a transitional housing program.
“It is a good step to get a spot. I by no means had a spot for over a yr, so it is positively wonderful. It is a tremendous feeling.”
