Next Steps Shelter Inspires Tony's Creativity from Victoria Cool Aid Society on Vimeo.

The Next Steps Transitional Shelter, located at 2317 Dowler Place in North Park, provides an opportunity for 15 emergency shelter clients to access the resources and services they need to get their lives back on track. Such services include housing, employment, financial, life skills, and mentorship, as well as physical and mental health services. Our experienced staff will work closely with individual participants to develop personal action plans designed to help them move to a better place to live their lives. These plans aim to achieve three key ingredients that are needed for a successful transition from a state of homelessness to stabilized housing:

1. An appropriate, affordable, long-term housing situation.
2. An income adequate to maintain self and housing.
3. The appropriate supports to live independently.

Our aim, through working together, is to insure that each participant leaves Next Steps with somewhere to be, something to do, and someone to talk to. In the end it is the people who use our services who have to change their own lives but we can be there to help support and guide them.

The Next Steps program will accept participants referred from our existing emergency shelters (Streetlink and Sandy Merriman). There will be a maximum of 15 individuals (mixed gender) staying in the house at any time. Ongoing screening criteria will include acceptance of the program goals, relative existing stability, and compatibility with the current Next Steps client population. Shelter stay will vary from 30 to 90 days dependent upon individual situations. Participants will be involved daily in the operation and upkeep of the house and grounds as well as in the progression of their individual action plans. A client services worker will oversee action plans and be available for support, outreach, and development of new resources for clients.

A good neighbour agreement [3.2 Mb PDF] has been signed by the North Park Neighborhood Association, City of Victoria, the Victoria Police Department and Victoria Cool Aid Society. A component of this Agreement includes a program overview of operating criteria such as:

• No drop-in capacity at this site.
• On-site 24/7 staff available to participants and neighbours.
• Lower tolerance for disruptive behaviors than in primary shelters.

The Next Steps program is funded by BC Housing and the United Way of Greater Victoria.