See the Person.
That’s the name of a new homelessness anti-stigma campaign that has been launched by the Nipissing District Homelessness and Housing Partnership (NDHHP).
The campaign promotes kindness toward people without a place to call home and encourages residents to learn more about housing and homelessness in their community.
People with lived experience of homelessness, or ‘experts by experience’, will be sharing their insights and personal experiences on social media and more.
NDHHP is a collective of local organizations that work to reduce, address, and prevent homelessness in the Nipissing District.
“See the Person. Be kind. Everyone has a story,” says Jennifer Farrell, an expert by experience. “Negative attitudes and stereotypes are extremely harmful and damage a person’s self-worth. It is very challenging to face stigma while managing other challenges in one’s life. We need to work toward a more caring, inclusive community.”
Farrell says when people are down they need to be treated with dignity and respect, pointing out it opens the door for healing and a sense of belonging.
The campaign looks to highlight some of the key drivers of homelessness, including poverty, lack of access to an affordable place to live, inadequate income, racism, discrimination and the impacts of childhood trauma.
“Homelessness is often due to factors outside of a person’s control,” says Tawnia Healy, Community Health Promoter with North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit. “It is unfair and unjust to stigmatize people for their health or housing status when the conditions for good health are simply not available to everyone.”
The community is being invited to take action on stigma and homelessness through compassion, education and advocacy.
