Urban Aboriginal Navigation Team

The Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society’s UANT programs provide our community with practical tools to help us realise our vision of a thriving,      self-sustaining, culturally based Urban Aboriginal community.

Community Navigation Project

The Community Navigator Project Is designed to meet the specific needs of Aboriginal peoples in the Metro Vancouver Region who are experiencing Absolute, Hidden, At Risk, Chronic or Episodic homelessness and for individuals or families who are new to the area or already living in the area. The program has been designed to enhance programming already in place at the Friendship Centre with the addition of:

Community Resources information and connections to:

  • Employment skills and training opportunities
  • Educational resources
  • Affordable food/ clothing/ furniture sources
  • Healthy lifestyle support services
  • Cultural activities

Community Housing Support Services:

  • Creating a housing plan
  • Locating emergency shelter
  • Filling out applications for housing
  • Referrals to Tenant Landlord Community Program
  • Referrals to Housing Subsidy Program (support such as rental subsidies, arrears, damage deposit, temporary storage, and other emergency needs based on Complete Intake Application and ELIGIBLITY)


For more information contact:
Community Resource Program Coordinator Michelle: 604-251-4844 (306)

The TLC Project

The TLC Project is a Tenant-Landlord-Community Relations Project that seeks to close the existing gaps in safe and affordable housing for Aboriginal individuals and families who are or are at risk of being homeless.

We are working with families and landlords to:

  • Find new housing sources,
  • Develop relationships with landlords,
  • Connect tenants with landlords to increase access to safe, affordable housing
  • Provide support and access to resources to help tenants maintain and sustain their housing.

Services for Clients:
Increased access to housing
Tenant Advocacy
Life-skills workshops to support clients to maintain and sustain housing, including:

  • Financial Management
  • Ready-to-Rent training
  • Home Search Techniques
  • Assist with living expenses (*upon Approval) i.e. furniture, dishes, food, emergencies or damage and repairs, tenant insurance, etc.
  • Develop Info Kits for Tenants

Services for Landlords:

  • Point of contact for landlords
  • Support tenant/ landlord mediation
  • Match housing type to tenant/ landlord need
  • Develop Info Kits for Landlords

Services we DON’T cover:

  • Rent, telephone & cell bills, internet, cable
  • Subsidies for clients living in subsidized units
  • Moving expenses
  • Extracurricular activities

For more information contact:
Tenant Landlord Navigator: 604-251-4844

Housing & Cultural Support Program

Outreach Worker

The Housing Outreach Worker (HOW) is responsible for engaging with the unsheltered individuals dealing with homelessness, and providing support services to assist in housing placement. This includes screening potential candidates for appropriate housing programs, overseeing /conducting the application process, conducting housing searches, placement into housing and ensuring transition to a Housing First team or other appropriate support services so that the individual can remain housed.

For more information contact Outreach Worker 604-251-4844

Cultural Worker

Society the Cultural Worker provides client care to urban Aboriginal individuals who are experiencing Absolute, Hidden, At Risk, Chronic or Episodic homelessness  This is support for personal development, including services to assist in healing for individuals, families and our urban Aboriginal community.  Individuals develop a network of culturally appropriate approaches and programs that will assist people to secure the supports and resources to ease their suffering and to move away from the harmful effects of colonization, intergenerational and direct effects of residential school and homelessness.

For more information contact Cultural Worker 604-251-4844 Ext 325

 

 


 

 

 

PROGRAMS