VCU MASS COMM Volunteer Orientation JULY2010

8/9/2019 VCU MASS COMM Volunteer Orientation JULY2010

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A Proven, Permanent Solution To Homelessness


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Thank you for your interest in

group volunteer opportunitieswith Virginia SupportiveHousing!

Please sign in and provide your e-mailaddress to receive our newsletter!

Virginia Supportive Housing


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Alison Jones-Nassar

VSH Volunteer Program CoordinatorPhone: 804-836-1061Fax: 804-788-6827

E-mail: [email protected] site: www.virginiasupportivehousing.org



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Part I

The Issue



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What Do YouKnow About

Homelessness

?



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Some Myths AboutHomelessness


They are not like me.

They choose to behomeless.

They are just lazy.

Taxpayers shouldnt haveto pay for services thatbenefit the homeless.


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Some Facts AboutHomelessness


On any given day in the UnitedStates, almost 700,000 sheltered andunsheltered men, women, andchildren experience homelessness.

In the Richmond region, there areapproximately 1100 homelessindividuals each night, with manymore on the verge of homelessnessdue to job loss, foreclosure, andother factors.


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Some Facts About

Homelessness


The average age for adults is 43.9years.

25.8 % of homeless persons areemployed.

31.9% of homeless persons haveexperienced domestic violence in theirlifetime.

35% report having a mental healthproblem sometime in their lifetime.


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Some Facts About

Homelessness


About 10% of the homelesspopulation is chronically homeless.

Approximately one-third of allhomeless individuals is female.

72.5% of homeless persons servedsome time in jail and/or prison.

18.5% of homeless persons areveterans.


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The Time Has Come


To stopmanaging theproblem and startending it!


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Part IIWhoWe Are

WhatWe Do



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The mission of Virginia Supportive Housing isto provide housing and comprehensive support

services to individuals and families who are

homeless or have special needs in order toinitiate and promote their transition from

homelessness to greater personal independence.

What Is Virginia Supportive Housing?


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Founded in 1988, VSH is the only non-profitorganization in Central Virginia that takes an

integrated approach to ending homelessness by

providing both permanent housing and supportservices to the most underserved segments of our

population.



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The homeless individuals and families we serverepresent the very lowest levels of income in our

region (generally 30% or less than our area's median

income). This financial situation is oftencompounded by other challenges, includingsubstance abuse, mental illness and physical

disabilities.



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90% of our residents do not

return to homelessness!



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Meet The Faces Of Homelessness


Anthony Thompson* became homelessalong with his brother after their mother

passed away & the siblings relocatedfrom Tappahannock to Richmond. Afterbecoming involved with using and sellingdrugs, he was incarcerated for 10 years.

Upon his release, Anthony began a newlife, thanks to VSH. He is now back on his

feet, supporting himself and livingindependently at New Clay House, a

supported studio apartment building inRichmond.


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VSH At A Glance

Housing Programs

Permanent Housing ResidencesSupport Services


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Housing Programs

A Place To Start (APTS)Housing Firstprogram that places chronically homelessindividuals with serious mental illness in permanent housingand provides them with intensive support services

Shelter Plus CareProvides rental subsidies and support services

(serves over 130 adults and families)

Financial FoundationsAsset Development Program for individuals and families,

providing financial literacy, homebuyer education, businessdevelopment and career counseling

Housing Resource CenterProvides a database of affordable housing and assistance inovercoming housing barriers


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Eva Mitchell* has never experienceda stable home life. Raised in an

abusive household, she tried to makeher own way and lived from paycheckto paycheck. Losing her job pushedher into the streets and shelters,

where she suffered from the cold andan extreme sense of personal

insecurity.Without VSH, Evascognitive disabilities could easily have

led her into a life of chronichomelessness & abuse.


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Permanent Housing Residences

Supportive Studio Apartments

New Clay House (serves 47 adults)

South Richmond (serves 39 adults with 21additional units planned for 2010)

Gosnold Apartments in Norfolk (serves 60

adults)Cloverleaf Apartments in Virginia Beach(serves 60 adults)

Coming Soon: South Bay in Portsmouth!


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Permanent Housing Residences

Adults with Disabilities

Stratford House (serves 8 adults)

Veterans Apartments (serves 8 adults)

James River Apartments (serves 14 adults)

Independence House* (serves 6 adults)

Bliley Manor* (serves 8 adults)

Families

Southern Barton Heights (serves 4 families)

Highland Park (serves 8 families)

Cary Street (serves 4 families)*TBI housing is supported in part by state general funds administered by the Department of Rehabilitative Services.


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A series of health complications andmedical crises, including a stroke,

chronic high blood pressure, andseizures, are what landed Billy Simms*on the street, where he remained for

ten years. Through VSH, he was ableto obtain medications, a stable place tolive, and even a new hobby fixing

computers.


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Support Services

Our Person CenteredApproach

Person c

entered

means focusing onthe needs and preferences of theindividual, empowering and supporting

the individual in defining the direction

for his/her life, and promoting self-determination, community involvement,

and recovery.


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Lisa Spencer*, a mother of four,ended up on the streets following the

death of her mother. Then at age 26,she was diagnosed with stage 2cervical cancer. VSH was able toassist Spencer with housing, utilities,

and medical support using HPRP(Homeless Prevention & Rapid Re-

Housing) funding. Lisa completedher cancer treatments two weeks

before Christmas 2009.


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Support Services

SupportServices are key to ensuring that residentsremain inpermanent housing.

The three major components of Virginia Supportive HousingsSupport Services are:

CASE MANAGEMENT

COUNSELING & SKILLS TRAINING

COMMUNITY BUILDING

VSH is also licensed to provide MENTAL HEALTH SupportServices to residents who have long-term, severepsychiatric disabilities.


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David Baker* suffers from acognitive disability that interferes

with his ability to form relationshipsand severely impacts his ability tofunction independently. For 15years, he lived on the streets and

relied on soup kitchens for hismeals. Thanks to VSH, David

collects disability, shops for himself,has a bank account, and manages

his symptoms with medication.


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VSH Is A Smart Investment!

The cost to the Greater Richmond

community of providing temporaryhousing is approximately $9,500 to$13,500 per person. VSH spends

approximately $4,500 per person, per

year to provide permanent, supportivehousing to individuals and families.Our approach saves the public up to

$9,000 per individual served.


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Part IIIThe Volunteer

Activity



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VSH Volunteer Program

We all need to be a partof the solution to the

problem ofhomelessness in oursociety. Volunteers arecritical to achievingVirginia Supportive

Housings goal toTRANSFORM lives &communities byproviding permanentsolutions to

homelessness!


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So How Can Volunteer Groups

Serve VSH?

WHO

35 VCU students inthe School of Mass

Communications


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So How Can Volunteer Groups

Serve VSH?

WHO

New Clay House is asupportive studio

apartment building

serving 47 formerlyhomeless low-incomeindividuals with

disabilities.


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Property Opportunities

WHATBasic

Computer & Social

Media Skills


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Client Service Opportunities

WHEREVCU Office ofCommunityEngagement

Computer Lab


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Collection Opportunities

WHEN

Five one-hour sessions

July 12, 5 6 p.m.July 13, 2 3 p.m.July 15, 2 3 p.m.July 19, 5 6 p.m.July 20, 2 3 p.m.


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Collection Opportunities

HOW

hour of groupinstruction followedby hour of one-on-

one tutoring


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The Application Process

BEFORE you volunteer:Please sign and submit three

formsPlease read the sensitivitymanualPlease sign and submit thesensitivity training agreementKnow the parameters of your

service

Procedure for eachsession:Please document your serviceby signing in and out

Please ask questions!


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Next Steps

Visit our web site

Watch our videoFollow our blogBecome a VSH

Facebook FanMake acommitment!


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QUESTIONS?



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We all need to be a part of the

solution to the problem ofhomelessness in our community.Thank YOU for volunteering with

Virginia Supportive Housing aproven, permanent solution tohomelessness!

VCU MASS COMM Volunteer Orientation JULY2010

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Transcript of VCU MASS COMM Volunteer Orientation JULY2010