In 2017, before planning the development of a new shelter, housing and drop-in centre, First United Church Community Ministry Society (First United) initiated a conversation with their clients and the wider Downtown Eastside (DTES) community. CitySpaces was retained by the Society to assist with background research and ‘deep listening’ engagement.
The goal of this process was to understand the community’s priorities and needs, in order to assist the board of directors with decision making for potential new facilities.
CitySpaces began the deep listening engagement process with 57 ‘deep listening’ interviews with people who use First United’s services and with people who have experienced poverty and homelessness within the DTES community.
Based on First United Church recommendations, CitySpaces prepared the engagement framework and possible questions to be asked during the interviews. These interviews were structured to gain an understanding of individual needs related to housing, food, basic necessities, advocacy, the arts, training, medical issues, mental health, addictions, and spiritual needs.
Carrying a clipboard, and wearing purple First United listening hoodies, our team partnered with First United staff and walked through the DTES community, inviting people to take part in the interviews, and broader engagement process. Community members were generous with their time and provided valuable insight regarding their community needs.
Our team then completed 18 key informant interviews with community workers from 13 agencies that directly partner with First United or work with mutual clients. Current and former staff were included in these engagement sessions. Conversations focused on community needs, organizational history, observations and insights into emerging client populations, location needs, and current and anticipated service gaps and priorities.
In addition to the community engagement, CitySpaces researched zoning and municipal policy and provided a summary of relevant planning information. A historical timeline was created of First United’s buildings and services from 1885 to present day, demonstrating the extent of the Society’s presence in the City. We also completed neighbourhood mapping of all shelters and food services in the Downtown Eastside, further demonstrating priority areas.
The findings from both the research and interviews were compiled into our final deliverable for this project, an Engagement Report. This report provides a summary of our research, and highlights what we heard from the community regarding their service needs and desires. This report will help to inform First United's next steps for planning and development of future services and buildings.
