What would it look like if our social safety nets functioned more like trampolines?
We are starting local – in one drop-in centre in downtown Toronto – to try out new forms of social support.
Drop-in Centres are a super important base for people living on the streets. They provide warmth, food, laundry, access to services, and a strong sense of belonging. And yet, they don’t always function as trampolines, enabling people to bounce upwards and forwards, out of the service system.
Over six-months, we hope to make, test, and iterate many small interventions with the people who use and work in the Drop-in Centre to see what prompts change and what does not:
- How do we co-create interactions that lead to real change for staff and members?
- How do we activate new roles and resources inside & outside the drop-in centre?
- How can we share the experimental mindset & methods with decision-makers & local leaders? All so we can create a supportive infrastructure for moving from service delivery to continuous Research & Resource Development?
In/Out is a partnership between InWithForward and West Neighborhood House, supported by United Way Toronto, Metcalf Foundation, and Trillium Foundation.
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