Working effectively with people who are experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness requires specialized skills and knowledge. This program is designed through engagement with local housing providers and peers in community and is aligned with sector and peer-identified needs. It will provide accessible and flexible training to develop and enhance your knowledge, critical competencies and skills for paid or volunteer roles in the homelessness serving sector. The training resources and exercises will increase your confidence and the design allows you to move through the topics at your own pace and in the order that best suits your needs.

The Division of Continuing Studies at the University of Victoria and the Alliance to End Homelessness in the Capital Region would like to acknowledge funding received from the Government of Canada through the Reaching Home Program, administered by the Community Entity (Capital Regional District, CRD) for the development of the Fundamentals of the Homelessness Serving Sector courses and micro-credential being offered by the Continuing Studies at the University of Victoria.

This program is currently in development. The full program will launch in May of 2024.  Sign up here if you would like to be notified when online courses are scheduled.

Program outcomes

This program supports the development of knowledge, skills and competencies necessary for work in the homelessness serving sector. On completion of the program, you will be able to:

• Describe types of homelessness and factors contributing to homelessness and explain housing first principles
• Explain issues related to mental health and substance use within the context of the homelessness serving sector
• Explain the impacts of colonization on Indigenous communities resulting in disproportionate representation in the population experiencing homelessness
• Explain gender and sexuality-based issues within the context of the homelessness serving sector
• Apply person-centered, trauma-informed, and decolonized best practices to roles and procedures within the homelessness serving sector
• Develop a self-care plan to manage stressors related to working in the homelessness serving sector