Sunshine Coast Community Services is inviting the community to its event, Sharing the Findings: Hidden Homelessness, to learn about the needs of women 50 and older who are at risk of homelessness and/or abuse on the Sunshine Coast. This free event will be held at the Seaside Centre in Sechelt on Thursday, Nov. 23 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. with doors opening at 8:30 a.m.
From June through September, thanks to a grant from Employment and Social Development Canada, Community Services provided increased outreach, collected data, and explored housing solutions for at-risk women who are 50 and older. Community Services received over 250 completed surveys from women and service providers, and several focus groups were held to learn from these women about their housing and safety needs.
“We were really surprised with the large number of women who chose to participate in this project,” reports Keely Halward, program director at Community Services. “I think it is an indicator that the needs of this demographic are not being captured or responded to effectively. This project provided an opportunity for these voices to be heard and understood. I hear from many women 50 and older who say that as they age they often feel they become invisible, their accomplishments no longer recognized, their experience and knowledge no longer valuable. When you add in a woman’s experience of abuse or housing instability to the equation, this invisibility can be even more profound and the likelihood of her needs being met even smaller.”
The project data shows that, although it is clear that a significant number of older women in our community are at risk, many others who reported they had stable and safe housing were only one or two small life changes away from having their housing at risk. Halward asks, “What if their rental is sold and they have to find another home in a low-vacancy/high-rent market? Or they divorce in later life, as many are doing, and they have to live on their sole income? Or if they choose to leave an abusive situation? Or their health takes a turn for the worse? Could they afford their own expenses? Could they afford a lawyer if they needed one? Many said they could not.”
Find out more about what was learned about the needs of women 50 and older at the event on Nov. 23. There will be information about local resources, a panel of local experts, a summary of the findings, and light refreshments. For more information about the event, available programs or to learn how you can support the work of Community Services call 604-885-5881 or visit www.sccss.ca.
