Taking a leap of faith: Meaningful participation of people with experiences of homelessness in solutions to address homelessness

Abstract

Participation of people with experiences of homelessness is critical to the development of meaningful strategies to end homelessness. The purpose of this study was to gain insights from people who have been homeless in a mid-sized Canadian city, as to strategies that facilitate meaningful participation in solutions to end homelessness. Within an overarching framework of collaborative research, we collected data through seven focus groups and employed interpretive description as our approach to data analysis. In our analysis, we identified both exclusionary and inclusionary forces that impact participation. Exclusionary forces included being ‘caught in the homelessness industry’, ‘homelessness is a full time job’ and facing stigma/discrimination that make participation a ‘leap of faith’. Inclusionary forces included earning respect and building trust to address unequal power relations, and restoring often ‘taken for granted’ social relations. Specific strategies to enhance participation include listening, valuing skills and stories, and supporting advocacy efforts. The study findings illuminate ways in which power imbalances are lived out in the daily lives of people who experience homelessness, as well as mitigating forces that provide direction as to strategies for addressing power inequities that seek to make participation and social inclusion meaningful.

Lived Expertise in Homelessness Policy and Governance

“…Earlier in the policy process, involvement in data gathering and problem definition is key to policy effectiveness. Norman et al (2015) examine meaningful participation and point to the feelings of dismissal that need to be combatted through more inclusionary forces that address unequal power relations and value LE. Other strategies include using tools to create scientific evidence and include LE throughout the process to allow for the cocreation of knowledge and findings and narrative approaches to influencing policy (Smith-Merry 2020).…”