2016-2020
Many approaches to “homelessness” take a deficit perspective – focusing on what’s lacking in people’s lives. We adopted a strength-based approach and looked past the negative experiences of homelessness and toward what people already have, and what they need in order to achieve a community-based sense of home.
This research asks urban Indigenous people who are experiencing homelessness, “What does ‘home’ mean to you?” and, “How can service programs better reflect your needs?”
To help examine these questions, the Tsi:iakwanakere project involved urban Indigenous communities at the Ne-Chee Friendship Centre in Kenora, and at the Ottawa Aboriginal Coalition (OAC).
The Ne-Chee Friendship Centre’s project explored the inclusion of Indigenous cultural value systems in homelessness services across several programs and sectors.
The OAC created this documentary, which shares the perspectives of four people in Ottawa who are experiencing homelessness.
