Supporting Vulnerable Populations in Your BIA
Developed by the SafeTO BIA intiative. This guide is a 6-page summary from the OBIAA Homeless Response Toolkit.
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Homelessness is a complex societal issue with many underlying causes like job loss, lack of affordable housing, mental illness, substance abuse, and more. Many individuals experiencing homelessness want to work but face significant barriers to employment. It’s important to avoid stigmatizing or criminalizing homelessness itself.
Homelessness can present unique challenges for businesses, from concerns about safety and property damage to wanting to respond with compassion. This section guides business leaders on interacting with individuals experiencing homelessness, while protecting their operations. Also find more context, community resources, and applicable action steps that businesses can take to navigate challenging situations.
The following information is summarized from OBIAA’s Homeless Response Toolkit. The 32 page OBIAA Toolkit has been summarized into 6 pages for key notes and quick tips specifically for Toronto BIAs.
Please see the OBIAA toolkit for more in depth information and for glossary of terms, and terms to avoid when addressing vulnerable community members.