As well as managing housing complexes, Nanaimo Affordable Housing offers services to the broader community, both through direct programming and services as well as participation in many community, regional, provincial, and national coalitions which focus on affordable housing.
Thanks to funding received through the BC Gaming Commission, NAHS has been able to offer a series of activities and training programs on topics such as self esteem, stress management, meditation, and other personal development concerns. These programs have been offered both for tenants and for other persons in the community who are living with permanent disabilities.
NAHS participates as a member of the Nanaimo Homelessness Group. While working with other organizations in the community to ensure that there are adequate services in the community to support individuals living on the street, we also are working to ensure that affordable housing remains as a priority in the community.
NAHS participates regularly in networking sessions with other housing providers in the community and has served as a mentor for other housing associations around the North Island. The Executive Director has served as a Board member of the BC Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA) for several years. His involvement has brought the issues of smaller communities and the value of supportive housing to the Provincial housing policy table. NAHS is also a member of the Canadian Housing and Renewal Association (CHRA) which is the national housing advocacy organization. This membership helps us to keep informed of resources and trends throughout the country.
NAHS staff have presented several workshops at the BCNPHA Annual Provincial Housing Conference on the importance and benefits of supportive housing. One of the NAHS staff is also a certified trainer through BCNPHA and delivers courses to other housing professionals on topics such as Board Development, the Residential Tenancy Act, and Privacy Policy. These courses have been offered both at the annual conference and across Vancouver Island.
Another role that NAHS provides in the community is as an information source for affordable housing in the community. NAHS is often the first place that people contact for information on affordable housing of all types. The Society gets over 50 calls per month from families, seniors, and singles who are trying to find affordable housing. The overview of Social Housing in Nanaimo that appears in the Housing Options section of the website was developed in response to these regular inquiries. The information collected has also now been incorporated into the City of Nanaimo’s pamphlet called “Surviving in Nanaimo”.
Because of the recognition that has been received for the work that the staff have done on research and evaluation, NAHS has been invited to participate in Provincial and National Research Initiatives, the latest one in partnership with researchers from Simon Fraser University who are developing new community based research around the health benefits of affordable housing. NAHS staff have also participated in forums and focus groups across Canada strategizing on research around the topic of Health and Housing.
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