Tenant perspectives on the implementation of the community homes for opportunity: a focused ethnographic study in Southwestern Ontario.

BACKGROUND: Recovery-oriented programs provide individuals with opportunities for well-being through community integration processes that enhance the degree to which individuals could live, work, and recreate in their community. The current evaluation assessed how tenants experience their home environment after the modernization of Homes for Special Care (HSC) to Community Homes for Opportunity (CHO) in Southwest Ontario, Canada. Our study identifies existing policies and practices that could interfere with or promote the modernization process. METHODS: We applied ethnographic qualitative techniques to purposefully recruit 188 participants with severe mental illness from 28 group homes. Focus groups were conducted at three time points, i.e., at pre-implementation/Baseline/Time I - spring 2018; Transition/Time II - fall 2018, and Final/Time III - winter 2019. RESULTS: Study findings suggest that the transition of HSC to CHO supports activities that empower tenants towards personal growth and development. Participants were largely satisfied with the support they were getting in relation to the program-related services. Tenants disclosed that their quality of life and well-being had been enhanced through participating in the program, and that their social interaction and support for each other had also improved. Most tenants demonstrated autonomy in terms of personal and financial independence. The enhanced financial support for tenants did not only improve their quality of life, but also helped to raise their purchasing power, decision making, sense of responsibility and accountability towards healthy spending of their resources. Despite tenants' good impression about the CHO, some still encountered problems and provided suggestions to further improve the program. CONCLUSION: It is expected that a more effective and expanded CHO will lead to tenant empowerment and successful social integration.

Homeowner perspectives on the implementation of the Community Homes for Opportunity (CHO) program: an ethnographic group homes study in Southwestern Ontario Canada.

BACKGROUND: The global extant literature acknowledge that housing serves as a key social determinant of health. Housing interventions that involve group homes have been found to support the recovery of persons with mental illness and those with addiction issues. The current study explored the views of homeowners in relation to a supportive housing program called Community Homes for Opportunity (CHO) that modernised a provincial group home program (Homes for Special Care [HSC]) and provided recommendations for improving the program implementation in other geographical areas of Ontario. METHODS: We applied ethnographic qualitative techniques to purposefully recruit 36 homeowner participants from 28 group homes in Southwest Ontario, Ontario Canada. Focus group discussions were conducted at two time points, during CHO program implementation (Fall 2018, and post implementation phases (Winter 2019) respectively. RESULTS: Data analysis yielded 5 major themes. These include: (1) general impressions about the modernization process, (2) perceived social, economic and health outcomes, (3) enablers of the modernization program, (4) challenges to implementation of the modernization program, and (5) suggestions for implementation of the CHO in future. CONCLUSIONS: A more effective and expanded CHO program will need the effective collaboration of all stakeholders including homeowners for successful implementation.

Family matters in Canada: understanding and addressing family homelessness in Ontario.

BACKGROUND: Homelessness is becoming an international public health issue in most developed countries, including Canada. Homelessness is regarded as both political and socioeconomic problems warranting broad and consistent result-oriented approaches. METHODS: This paper represents the qualitative findings of a project that explored risk factors associated with family homelessness and strategies that could mitigate and prevent homelessness among families using a focused ethnographic study guided by the principles of participatory action research (PAR). The sample includes 36 family members residing at a family shelter who participated in focus groups over two years (between April 2016 and December 2017). Most of the participants were single-parent women. RESULTS: The analysis yielded five major themes including, life challenges, lack of understanding of the system, existing power differentials, escaping from hardship, and a theme of proposed solutions for reducing family homelessness in the community. CONCLUSION: The findings illustrated the complex nature of family homelessness in Ontario; that the interaction of multiple systems can put families at risk of homelessness. Findings from this study underscore the need for urgent housing protocols aimed at educating homeless families on how to navigate and understand the system, enhance their conflict resolution skills, and develop strategies beyond relocation to help them to cope with difficulties with housing.

Family Matters in Ontario: Understanding and Addressing Homelessness Among Newcomer Families in Canada.

BACKGROUND: Canada, a key player in global humanitarian affairs is faced with enormous challenges in relation to housing and homelessness. As international migration continues to occur, homelessness among immigrant families is increasing worldwide; a situation that needs urgent attention and action. PURPOSE: We designed this study to explore the needs of homeless families, identify risk factors associated with family homelessness, and to find strategies that could assist in mitigating and preventing homelessness among families in Canada. METHODS: This paper reports qualitative findings from a focused ethnographic study embedded in participatory action research that explored the experiences of 11 immigrant families with housing challenges in Ontario Canada. RESULTS: Thematic analysis yielded five (5) major themes: life challenges; lack of understanding of the system; difficulty with conflict resolution; escaping as a solution for hardship; and reducing immigrant family homelessness. CONCLUSION: Findings from the study highlight the urgent need for advocacy and a well-tailored supportive housing policy to address family homelessness in Ontario.