Rural Homelessness Research
Rural homelessness has been a neglected topic in research on homelessness. Existing studies indicate that the scope of homelessness may be as or more prevalent in small and rural communities than in urban contexts. In our research, we seek to understand experiences of homelessness in small and rural communities through the perspectives of persons with lived experience, policymakers, and residents of small and rural communities. We are also interested in exploring novel approaches to addressing homelessness in rural contexts.
Lived Experience and Policy Perspectives on Migration and Service Use Among Persons Experiencing Homelessness in Small and Rural Communities in Canada
Funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities and Research Council of Canada, this research is designed to explore experiences of migration in rural communities, and the experiences of designing and implementing policy in small and rural contexts in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. This research is currently underway, and reports and publications will be shared as they become available.
‘The Big Island Model’: Resident experiences of a novel permanent supportive housing model for responding to rural homelessness
There is a need for describing and evaluating novel approaches for supporting the needs of persons who experience homelessness in rural communities. This case study, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada describes a novel permanent supportive housing model that is based in peer support and mutual collaboration. In this research, we interviewed 13 individuals living in this permanent supportive housing community using mixed methods interviews, and collaborated with these residents to identify the central tenets of the model. Our findings reveal that this model is unique in its ability to foster belonging and engagement in meaningful activity for residents. Residents identified transportation as a key issue that prevented their ability to remain connected with nearby towns and cities when needed.
