Agenda Package - City of Vernon

Evaluation of Homelessness Strategy for the North Okanagan
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Background:
ln2OO7, the Social Planning Councilfor the North Okanagan received a federal grant to
create a community strategy to address the issue of homelessness in the North Okanagan. The
final document was entitled "Building Bridges: the 2007 Homelessness Strategy for the North
Okanagan" and was ultimately housed with the Partners in Action Committee who agreed to
monitor and implement the plan.
When the strategy was first being developed in 2007, there were very little services in
place to support people who were homeless. Many agencies struggled to address these needs
with limited resources. Churches and non-profits were vocal that there were people in the
community who were cold, hungry and without shelter. At the same time, other sectors were
disturbed by the visible impact of an increased street population on public spaces and parks. ln
particular businesses in the city centre were concerned about customers avoiding the
downtown due to the threat of crime and/or harassment by panhandlers. Amongst most
groups, there was an agreement that something needed to be done and that the issue of
homelessness could not be ignored.
The Homelessness Strategy became the blueprint for action and over the next four years
a number of initiatives were pursued to address homelessness in the community. By the Spring
of ZO¡O, many of the actions outlined in the original plan had been completed and the Partners
in Action identified a need to update the strategy. As paft of this process, the Social Planning
Council of the North Okanagan partnered with the Upper Room Mission to apply for a federal
grant to hire a consultant to undertake a formal evaluation'
ln June 2010 Lochaven Management Consultants Ltd. was contracted by the Upper
Room Mission to evaluate the Homelessness Strategy from the perspective of its
implementation and to provide thoughts and insights into future programming. Project
investigations extended over the period June 7, 2010 to October 31, 2010. Report compilation,
discussion and presentations took place during November 2010.
Methodology:
From the very beginning the research effort worked from the premise that a proper
evaluation should first and foremost be useful. As such programming was evaluated from the
perspective of both effectiveness (the ability to get things done) and efficiency (the ability to do
things right). ln this regard a variety of evaluative techniques were utilized including: (1) a
review of the structure and format of the initial strategic planning exercise; (2) a review of
programming (identification, design and delivery) relative to the organization's core principles;
(3) a review of defined versus actual outputs/outcomes and impacts; and (4) a contrasting of
local implementation efforts with best practice assessments from other jurisdictions.
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Lochaven Management Consultants Ltd.
November 2010
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