- Description
- Actively engages individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness to promote, connect, and coordinate access to the range of supports available across Niagara's Homeless-Serving System, including emergency shelter, housing and support services.
Proactively engages and responds to requests in the community for individuals in public spaces, who, for example, may be 'sleeping rough' or living outdoors (e.g. sleeping in a car, living in an encampment etc.). Assertive Street Outreach workers are focused on ending the experience of homelessness, particularly for those who would otherwise be underserved in traditional settings.
Street-based outreach ensures that trained workers respond directly and immediately to a person's needs by bringing coordinated services from across the Homeless-Serving System to the individual, rather than waiting for them to seek services on their own.
These services aim to:- Proactively engage with people sleeping rough to facilitate pathways into housing
- Minimize the harmful effects of rough sleeping while working towards long-term housing solutions
- Provide standardized intake, triage, and assessment to assess a person's vulnerability and assist in the identification of appropriate housing resources
- Deliver case coordination in collaboration with government and non-profit organizations to support those who may be reluctant to access traditional services
- Provide an intensive and coordinated team approach to identify and work towards personal goals
- Gateway Residential & Community Support Services of Niagara Inc. (in partnership with Southridge Community Church)
- Niagara Resource Service for Youth (The RAFT)
- Port Colborne Community Association for Resource Extensions (Port Cares)
- Niagara Region Community Services
- Eligibility
- Individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness.
- Application Process
- Community members who are concerned about an individual or individuals who they have encountered that are homeless and unsheltered can call 2-1-1 to be connected with the NASO Team. Unsheltered homeless individuals can also call 2-1-1 to be connected with supports, including access to the NASO team, if eligible.
- Referrals to NASO
- 2-1-1
- Languages
- English
- Fees
- None
- Documents Required
- No documents required
- Accessibility
- Not applicable
- Topic(s)
- Agency Information
- View Agency Profile
- Last Updated On
- April 17, 2024
- Last Verified On
- October 11, 2023
- Location
- St Catharines
- Hours of Operation
- Mon7:00 am to 11:00 pmTue7:00 am to 11:00 pmWed7:00 am to 11:00 pmThu7:00 am to 11:00 pmFri7:00 am to 11:00 pmSat9:00 am to 11:00 pmSun9:00 am to 11:00 pm
Mon-Fri 7 am-11 pm, Sat-Sun 9 am-11 pm - Service Area(s)
- Niagara Region
