Housing First
Operation Come Home offers a variety of housing based programming and supports, to homeless and at-risk youth in Ottawa. All housing programs at OCH operate within a “Housing First” framework. Housing First is described as a housing staff that has adopted a recovery-oriented approach in-which staff believe that all individuals deserve and have a right to housing.
Our Team
Below you will find all of the programs/positions that make up our Housing First team.
General Housing Assistance is available through the drop-in, to any youth between the ages of 16-26. The GHA worker will work to divert youth from the shelter system into other housing options, as well as supporting youth with maintaining and/or securing long-term housing. The GHA staff is available to support the youth with any housing goals and needs they may have.
A Housing Based Case Manager (HBCM)works as a member of a Housing First team to provide individualized supports to homeless or at-risk youth, with various acuity levels, in order to assist them in obtaining stable and long-term housing. HBCM’s connect clients to other resources that support housing retention. These supports include peer support, education, employment, mental health, and social/recreation. HBCM’s work with clients on an ongoing basis, through case management, to assess areas of support and assist clients in gaining knowledge and skills to live independently.
A Housing Support Worker (HSW) is a case manager whose role is to work exclusively with youth ages 16/17 in the domain of housing acquisition and retention. The HSW works in partnership with The Children’s Aid Society (CAS) and the Ministry of Child and Youth Services (MCYS) and aims to assist the most vulnerable youth in the community in some of the following areas peer support, education, employment, mental health, and social/recreation.
The Housing Specialist role is responsible for assisting HBCM participants with securing housing and ensuring that all their rights and responsibilities are being met. In doing so, the staff will regularly communicate with landlords throughout your engagement in the program. This suggests many benefits, such as conflict resolution support between landlords and tenants, rent reminders, positive relationships with landlords, easier access to crucial tenant information, etc.
Peer Support is a supportive based client/staff relationship who share common lived in experience. These experiences can range from homelessness (couch surfing, shelter stays, sleeping outside etc.), Addictions and Mental Health. The Peer Support Worker is there to aid and support clients. To provide hope that they themselves can change their life around whether that be, their housing situation, addictions or to improve their overall mental health. Peer Support is essential to youth services to show youth the possibilities of overcoming trauma, homelessness addictions and mental health.