Our street outreach team connects with people experiencing homelessness where they are, building trust, responding to immediate needs and linking people with housing, health care and other supports. Outreach also helps protect health by connecting people to appropriate services and care, consistent with Ontario’s approach to community outreach and integrated supports for people experiencing homelessness.

London Cares was the first organization to implement a housing-focused street outreach team in 2012. Today, London Cares has two dedicated teams operating 24/7 to engage individuals experiencing homelessness, build trust, and connect people to services and housing.

All of our teams work with people at all acuity levels, with a specialization in supporting those with high acuity. We work with individuals, couples, youth, and people of all genders, including many members of the LGBTQ2+ community. Using a trauma-informed approach, we meet people where they are, provide compassion and support, and assist with system navigation to connect people with the services and supports they need. We also work closely with police and emergency services to divert individuals experiencing homelessness from these services and reduce strain on those systems.

Our teams work with people experiencing homelessness to get paper ready for housing — meaning required documentation is completed and income is verified — allowing them to be placed on London’s Coordinated Access Priority List for Housing and matched with a housing program. We work closely with emergency shelters, the Coordinated Access team, the City of London Housing Stability Services team, and other agencies in the Homeless Prevention System to provide a coordinated response.

We also refer people into Resting Space services to ensure those who are experiencing homelessness and cannot access emergency shelter have access to rest, basic needs, and support on a rotational basis, giving everyone an opportunity to get out of the elements.

Our street outreach work is conducted through “feet on the street” to engage with people sleeping rough in the core areas of London, supported by two agency vehicles that respond to calls from across the city. We respond from the Masonville area in the north, to White Oaks in the south, Argyle in the east, and as far west as Kilworth.

Our teams often need to connect with people in isolated locations, including under bridges, deep valleys, urban camps, wooded areas, and along the river. Team members may hike in to reach people who are well hidden. We attend these areas and continue to engage assertively to build rapport, even when someone has not yet identified that they want to engage in service. We do not give up. We keep showing up to build trust and connection.

We also field 20–40 calls each day from community members concerned about individuals experiencing homelessness. We are responsive and responsible, and our teams often work beyond available resources because of their dedication and commitment.

Extreme weather is a clear example of this work. During severe cold, heat, or torrential storms, when most of the community is indoors, our teams are outside connecting with people experiencing homelessness, helping them reach safer locations and reducing the risk of frostbite, heatstroke, and other serious medical concerns.

The early days of the COVID-19 pandemic showed the same commitment. When many people were working from home and city streets were nearly empty, our teams continued working day and night with people who had no home to go to, despite the uncertainty surrounding the virus.

Our street outreach teams should really be considered first responders.