Newspapers, television and films cast homeless shelters as places of desperation, sadness and sickness. However, over the last 25 years, homeless shelters have changed dramatically. Shelters have become more professional and sophisticated in addressing homelessness in their communities. They now do much more than provide a bed and a meal for the night — they offer different methods of intervention, different types of services and different forms of connection to the communities they serve. This book offers essays by experienced shelter managers who address the future of the homeless shelter in Canada. This diverse collection also includes a chapter by Dr. Sam Tsemberis, the father of the successful Housing First Model. There are contributions by leaders in the homelessness field from across Canada, who have been at the forefront of developing unique services for women, youth, Indigenous people, and families. The days of shelters serving to merely warehouse homeless people out of sight and mind are being replaced by specialized approaches that are reducing homelessness in Canada. The contributors have years of experience understanding the causes of and solutions to homelessness and the role that shelters can play in achieving their ultimate goal — the elimination of all forms of homelessness in Canada.

Newspapers, television and films cast homeless shelters as places of desperation, sadness and sickness. However, over the last 25 years, homeless shelters have changed dramatically. Shelters have become more professional and sophisticated in addressing homelessness in their communities. They now do much more than provide a bed and a meal for the night — they offer different methods of intervention, different types of services and different forms of connection to the communities they serve. This book offers essays by experienced shelter managers who address the future of the homeless shelter in Canada. This diverse collection also includes a chapter by Dr. Sam Tsemberis, the father of the successful Housing First Model. There are contributions by leaders in the homelessness field from across Canada, who have been at the forefront of developing unique services for women, youth, Indigenous people, and families. The days of shelters serving to merely warehouse homeless people out of sight and mind are being replaced by specialized approaches that are reducing homelessness in Canada. The contributors have years of experience understanding the causes of and solutions to homelessness and the role that shelters can play in achieving their ultimate goal — the elimination of all forms of homelessness in Canada.

The participant's essential guide to reflection and personal growth Beyond Anger and Violence: A Program for Women Participant Workbook is the participant's personal place for reflection, reactions, and learning, during and after management sessions. The activities inside reinforce program lessons about anger and violence, including how families, relationships, communities, and society affect one's life. In learning about the relationships between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, participants can begin to grasp a better self-understanding that will help them manage anger in a healthier, more productive manner. They'll develop new skills for communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making, and will be introduced to a variety of calming techniques. Beyond Anger and Violence is a 40-hour, evidence-based program designed for women who have difficulty managing anger. Based on a social-ecological model, the program addresses the factors that put people at risk for experiencing overwhelming feelings of anger, and perpetrating assaults or destruction of property. This curriculum acknowledges anger as a normal, appropriate, and human emotion, but also recognizes the destruction it can lead to if allowed to get out of control. This workbook will help guide participants through the program, reinforcing the discussions held in session. Topics include: The effects of trauma Relationships and communication, control, and conflict The importance of safety and the power of community Self-transformation, and creating change The workbook also includes a Daily Anger Log, a Self-Reflection Tool, and list of yoga poses that can have a calming effect on both body and mind. Participants may already recognize the effects of anger on their lives, and that it may even be affecting their health. Through the Beyond Anger and Violence program, and the exercises in this workbook, they can join a group of women working to create a less-violent world.

Homeless families speak out. Aurora Zepeda, University of California, San Diego.