The United Nations Global Compact is Changing The Way We Think About Addressing Poverty

With approximately 235,000 Canadians experiencing homelessness and 1.2 billion people worldwide living in acute multidimensional poverty, Goal 1 of Ending Poverty in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is still far from being accomplished. Due to its multifaceted nature, poverty poses one of the greatest risks to human dignity and rights. Beyond limited income, poverty impairs one’s ability to obtain protection from violence, access health care, engage in collective bargaining, enjoy fair working conditions, and play an active role in workplaces, marketplaces, and communities. Not only that, but with forced labour being one of the most devastating implications of poverty, global studies reveal that roughly 86 per cent of modern slavery occurs in the private sector. Thus, business leaders, decision-makers, and investors must recognize the important role they play in combating corruption and scale up their contributions to the goal of poverty eradication.

The UN Global Compact Network Canada believes that it’s the mission of every business to uphold and protect human and labour rights of all workers by detecting and preventing behaviours that exacerbate poverty traps. One way for leaders to enhance ethical business practices is by using the Poverty Footprint, a digital tool for corporations and civil society organizations to evaluate their impacts on multidimensional poverty. This guide, jointly created by the UN Global Compact and Oxfam, addresses a wide range of business practices that have a bearing on poverty, including value chains, local environmental practices, branding and product development, and macroeconomics. As a comprehensive instrument that helps businesses collaborate with community leaders to bring about collective transformations, the Poverty Footprint guides business leaders in developing sustainable governance structures and competitive strategies against poverty without compromising corporate success.

Due to its multifaceted nature, poverty poses one of the greatest risks to human dignity and rights.

Increased employment by itself can’t put an end to the current global crisis. 7.6 per cent of Canadians identify as working poor, which implies that even despite having jobs, workers frequently face unpredictable work schedules, little-to-no health benefits, precarious working conditions, and low job security. For visible minority groups in Canada, in particular, poor labour conditions and unemployment rates are much higher. A York University study found that Latin American and Caribbean workers in Toronto struggle to shift away from precarious to full-time, stable employment due to racialized systemic barriers. This hinders their overall ability to overcome income disparities and prioritize personal well-being and professional development. Although at least 70 per cent of trans and queer people in Ontario possess a post-secondary degree, more than half are earning only around $15,000 per year. To ensure that anti-poverty frameworks doesn’t exclusively benefit white, heterosexual, able-bodied men, it’s important to apply an intersectional approach that takes into account the numerous social identities that compound one’s structural barriers in society.

Workers facing intersectional systems of oppression have even fewer resources at the outset and require additional measures to guarantee their equal rights to socio-economic resources. Companies must proactively identify those who are the most vulnerable in their supply chains and operations as a mandatory component of their human rights due diligence process. Beyond providing employment alone, firms should provide decent work, which guarantees proper health and safety safeguards, fair living wages, reasonable working hours, and respect for human dignity and autonomy of each employee. Businesses are encouraged to take the UN Global Compact’s Decent Work Toolkit for Sustainable Procurement, which offers practical advice such as setting key performance indicators and communicating decent work priorities to suppliers to achieve social sustainability goals.

As Goal 8 of the SDGs states, the work of businesses in combating poverty requires a collective effort towards achieving “inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all”, where one objective cannot be achieved without the fulfilment of the other. Our goal will be met once our leaders accept and put into practice the idea that community well-being and prosperity are inextricably linked to the long-term success of all businesses.

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The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) addresses not just immediate needs, but systemic ones as well by supporting local partners to respond to community priorities.

In 2011, the world saw 38.54 million displaced people and refugees, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Compare that to 2021, when that number rose sharply to a staggering 89.32 million people. This number translates to 1 in every 88 people on earth having been forced to flee their home. And now, the war in Ukraine is making that number rise even higher.

As bleak as this is, some agencies are making a difference.

Home is where the hope is

The Primate’s World Relief and Development Fund (PWRDF) is one agency that fights the good fight, addressing not just the immediate needs of refugees but systemic ones as well.

Will Postma is the Executive Director of PWRDF. “We support internally displaced peoples overseas by first ensuring they have safe transitional shelter,” Postma said. “And then we work with partners to resettle refugees in neighbouring countries. At the same time, we we work to support a safe and healthy return to their own homes.”

This is just one area in which the humanitarian organization works, however.

Getting to the root of an issue

Ending poverty is considered foundational to all of PWRDF’s work.

“Sometimes this means ensuring that ‘smallholder’ farmers have the right crops for their field,” Postma said. “Often, when we’re providing emergency food relief, we ensure that communities have seeds with which they can plant anew, that they have tools with which they can care for their fields, that they have knowledge that may be appropriate in their context to grow vegetables, fruit, or other kinds of staple crops so that poverty isn’t just addressed in the short term — there’s a mid-to-long-term response, an intentional response, in the design of a program.”

Local partnerships

The agency believes that the best way to address local issues is to engage with local partners who understand the minutiae of the challenges being faced — this includes in Canada, working with a cross-country advisory committee of Indigenous leaders focused on Indigenous-led priorities.

“Our local partners are the ones on the ground who understand the community context. They’re the ones who come up with innovative solutions,” stated Postma. 

“One example would be our work in Kenya. One of our partners has seen less and less water availability in their community. They’ve come up with a solution to build sand dams in rivers. These dams slow the torrential waters that can fall during a rainstorm and allow for more of that water to sink in and replenish the aquifer, which can then be released through wells,” Postma said.

“Our role is to help vetted partners find a solution, support that solution, assist in providing what’s needed, and then share these best practices with our network of about 50 partners to perhaps enable them to help their own communities in even greater ways.”

Global goals

PWRDF’s work centres around key philanthropic ideas of universal justice, health, and peace. The agency has aligned itself with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 in addressing climate change, food security, and water safety. 

For this work, PWRDF is ranked in the Charity Intelligence Top 100, something it is honoured to be a part of. 

“It allows us to look even deeper into how we can embed local agency in greater and greater ways and give more space, more scope, more priority to the voice of communities as they develop programs for funding,” Postma said.

PWRDF is supported in large part by donations from Anglicans and churches within the Anglican Church of Canada (the Primate is the head of the church), but it works separately from the national body. “We’re a human rights organization which supports the most vulnerable — those that are suffering indignity upon indignity,” added Postma. “It can be a difficult world when we see the needs around us, but there’s a lot of encouraging progress, where people’s lives are being improved, and that’s inspiring.”

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The YMCA of Greater Toronto’s Wagner Green YMCA offers shelter and comprehensive, wrap-around supports to help youth experiencing homelessness transition to independent living.

Over 3,000 youth experience homelessness in the GTA every night. They need a warm meal and a safe place to stay at night, but they need more than that — they need comprehensive support, from mental health counselling to help finding work.

The YMCA of Greater Toronto provides the tools these youth need to build a better life, all under one roof. At The Wagner Green YMCA, they find emergency shelter and immediate crisis support. But they can also access wrap-around services, such as mental health counselling, substance use referrals, assistance navigating legal issues, help finding long-term housing, and employment training.”

A holistic approach

The Wagner Green YMCA is an 11,400 square-foot emergency shelter and drop-in centre for youth experiencing homelessness. It’s a diverse and 2SLGBTQIA+ positive space serving the Queen West and Spadina community, and offering 40 shelter beds to youth aged 16 to 24 who identify as male.

“The Wagner Green Y offers a range of support services,” says Nelson Borges, Director of Youth Outreach and Intervention at the YMCA of Greater Toronto. “We recognize that when you’re supporting people, you have to work from a holistic approach, and consider there are many different things going on for a young person.”

Indeed, roughly 80 per cent of The Wagner Green YMCA’s visitors come from some type of family breakdown, whether it’s violence, substance use issues, or mental health issues in the home, or 2SLGBTQIA+ youth coming out and being asked to leave. They need multifaceted supports, and The Wagner Green YMCA offers a range of services around employment counselling, substance use counselling, and auxiliary housing, as well as medical support, mental health support, identification clinics, legal services, and more. The idea is that after finding shelter and support at The Wagner Green Y, youth who were experiencing homelessness will be able to take a big leap and start living independently.

Cultivating belonging

These wrap-around services — which are strengths-based and needs-driven, and represent a more intensive, individualized care management process — support youth for a longer period of time than many other shelters. The Wagner Green Y provides stability by addressing the root causes and obstacles that are preventing young people from living independently.

“The Wagner Green YMCA is more than just a youth shelter,” says Borges. “Obviously, that’s a big piece that we offer, but what we really do here is cultivate a sense of belonging, connection, respect, and dignity for our young people.”

What we really do here is cultivate a sense of belonging, connection, respect, and dignity for our young people.

As youth gain a sense of safety and start working through their traumas, they’re often then ready to move on to other goals, such as getting an education or finding a job, notes Borges. Once they’re ready to move out on their own, they may face additional barriers — like acquiring the household staples needed to get themselves set up in their new apartments, or everyday necessities like transit fare, groceries, and a cell phone. The YMCA supports youth during these transitions, ensuring they have the best possible chances of long-term success. For example, youth can access “moving kits” complete with household necessities like bedding, dishes, cutlery, and more to help them begin building their new lives in their new apartments.

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The impact of inflation on survivors of gender-based violence

The threat of homelessness disproportionately impacts survivors of gender-based violence.

Survivors face the choice of living with their abuser or leaving a violent situation and becoming unhoused.

Inflation, financial uncertainty, job loss, burnout, and lack of safe community support all limit survivors’ choices of gender-based violence, while our shifting economic trends contribute to increased stress at home.

After choosing safety and security, leaving an abuser and entering a shelter, the following survival challenge is “where will I live?”

We know because we’re at the frontlines of the housing crisis and can see daily the impact of the lack of affordable housing for survivors across the GTA. Almost all our clients, upon arrival, want to meet with the Transitional Support Worker to discuss housing for themselves and their families. And rightly so. While there is a provincial Affordable Housing Program that prioritizes housing for survivors, the application process is rigorous, complex, and requires immense staff support and expertise to navigate. The program also has fluctuating terms of availability and is limited in its offerings — especially for families.

Community resources in Toronto face an unprecedented demand

Even after securing housing for survivors, the need for services and supports from community organizations and resources persists. Community organizations and resources in Toronto are overburdened and stretched thin due to the pandemic and unable to keep up with the rise in the need for these programs and services. Everything from food banks, shelters, employment support, and financial aid, our entire social service sector is in the throes of unprecedented demand with no end. The limited availability of these community supports for survivors means that the onus has been put on Violence Against Women (VAW) shelters, such as North York Women’s Shelter, to fill in the gaps.

The VAW sector is left to fill the gaps in service

Our scope of care for survivors of gender-based violence has continued to evolve and expand since our inception in 1984; currently, as we navigate a global crisis, inflation, economic disruption, record-breaking job loss, stress, burnout, and the shadow pandemic of gender-based violence, the demand for services and supports has only become more expansive and more complex. We now provide food security post-transition, health care, educational support, counselling, legal, immigration, employment, and transition support in-house to fill in the gaps in services left by the lack of community support. Our staff is overburdened with the demand, and the financial cost only increases to provide the same level of programs and services each year.

Our staff is overburdened with the demand, and the financial cost only increases to provide the same level of programs and services each year.

As an organization whose mission and mandate are to provide emergency shelter to survivors of gender-based violence, how we have had to innovate and expand services to provide critical services to our clientele must be shared. We will continue to innovate and grow services to ensure that survivors have the support they need. However, what the community needs to understand is that the onus of this demand for help is being placed on VAW shelters such as North York Women’s Shelter.

The post The Current Crisis of Community Care: A Burdensome Climate for VAW Services appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Community support means everything to this Toronto-based charity as it continues to uplift 2SLGBTQIA+ youth with access to necessary services.

Young people who identify as two-spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and all gender non-conforming (2SLGBTQIA+) may struggle with self-acceptance. They can face identity-based rejection and isolation amongst their peers. In these situations, some may not seek help or even realize there’s resources available.

Because of this, one in three youth experiencing homelessness identify as 2SLGBTQIA+. They’re disproportionally impacted by social isolation and unstable housing. This is amplified during the holiday season when adolescents may especially feel like they don’t belong. Nonacceptance leaves youth struggling, alone, and unsure of what’s next.

One of the few organizations solely dedicated to helping marginalized queer youth, Friends of Ruby offers a comprehensive support system and inclusive community. They empower and validate those in need through drop-in, mental health, case management, and practical support services.

Better together

Friends of Ruby offers the first-of-its-kind transitional housing for those who need a place to stay.

“We provide more comprehensive services to support youth that reside there,” says Alban Joxhe, Director of Transition Housing. “They build a community that uplifts each other.”

Other programming includes counselling, meals, groups, employment and healthcare assistance, and tons of community activities. Participants gain self-esteem and resilience – many return as ambassadors to pass it forwards.

Funding is crucial, as demand is incredibly high. Along with donations, they require increased government aid. “Society needs to acknowledge and uphold these youths,” Alban adds. “A lot of us have been in their shoes. We can make a difference, we’re here for them.”

The post A Space That Welcomes Everyone through Its Doors, No Matter What appeared first on HiveInnovates.

What’s the advice you would give to anyone facing adversity?

We’re so much more than the challenges we experience in life. It takes me back to a story in 1989 where I was on a park bench when I was visibly homeless, and this man name Gus looked and me and he said, “there’s more to you than you can see.” It was the first time that someone spoke to my possibility. The word that comes to mind when I think of adversity, challenge or change, is possibility, what’s on the other side of that?

What does the general public need to under-stand about people living without a home?

The first problem is that we label it as homelessness, its not homelessness. It’s mental health, it’s substance use disorder, it’s sexual abuse, it’s early childhood trauma, it’s generational poverty, it’s inclusion, it’s a 1000 different things. We need to be empathically curious, to ask questions about what happened before this happened? We need to move the needle on empathy. We need to see the human in all of this, because it’s when we do this we can begin to address it for the public health crisis that it is.

If you could say one thing to the Canadian public about homelessness, what would it be?

Be careful of what you see in the press, because it’s often not as it seems. The media drives narratives, and the homeless don’t have a voice. Somebody else has created the talking points in the narrative. It may be unintentional, but they don’t have the true perspective of what is going on. Homelessness is used as a label to so many other complex things, you could say things like ‘it could be you’, or ‘you’re one paycheck from living on the streets’, but there is no one thing.

I believe that the solution is out there, and I believe that its waiting for dedicated, smart, impassioned people to step forward in possibility, and apply it.

The post Joe Roberts Opens Up About His Lived Experience of Homelessness appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Lillian Yin

Co-chair, the Dietitians of Canada Food Insecurity Network and Practice with Vulnerable Communities in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Between pandemic recovery, inflation, housing costs, extreme weather patterns, declining mental health, and other challenges, we are seeing new vulnerabilities and people at risk of food insecurity who were not previously in need of food or financial aid. Pre-COVID, an estimated one in eight Canadians (12.5%) were food insecure , meaning they did not have the income to purchase enough food to stave off hunger, or follow nutrition recommendations, let alone make special food for a celebration, or host friends for a meal. We now think it is closer to one in six Canadians (16%) .

Food insecurity is a serious and avoidable public health issue. The Dietitians of Canada Household Food Insecurity Network is a network of dietitians from across the country that facilitate ongoing collaboration necessary for addressing this complex challenge. All households in Canada should have the resources necessary to secure basic needs, including access to foods that support physical, mental, social, and spiritual well-being.

Food charity and rescuing food that would otherwise go to waste is not the solution to food insecurity. These efforts provide social benefits, and every meal makes a difference for those facing acute hunger and isolation, but food charity does not eliminate poverty, nor does it always have positive environmental benefits. Rescued food is often undignified and is not consistently culturally appropriate. It may offset greenhouse gasses emissions by keeping good food from going to waste, but its use also produces emissions through transporting, refrigerating, and redistributing that food.

We do know what will make a difference: policies that ensure adequate income for everyone. These include social supports like the Child Benefit, minimum wages, Employment Insurance, disability assistance, and pensions. Having stable housing where one can store and prepare meals is also essential. As is accessible, affordable food, particularly in remote communities. Addressing the root causes of poverty will benefit all Canadians, as this will foster healthy communities where we can all thrive.

It is also critical to have Indigenous community-led initiatives that address the unique challenges related to food security, such as fair resolution of disputes over access to lands and resources, and adequate education and employment opportunities for Indigenous Peoples in urban, rural, and remote environments.

As dietitians across Canada, we want our clients, neighbors, and families to eat well. We bring expertise in health and food systems and collaborate with community partners and with people with lived experiences of poverty. Whether we find ourselves in a healthcare setting, the community, business, agriculture, or media, we can all stand in solidarity and work to address gaps in the economic and social systems and create a nourishing home for us all.

To support and learn more about First Nations, Inuit + Metis led solutions to address poverty and food insecurity, please look to the following resources;

• Inuit Nunangat Food Security Strategy
• Planning for Food Security 
• Indigenous Food Safety and Security

The post Nutrition Advice only Works for Those Who Can Afford Good Food appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Globally, climate change is one of the most pressing social issues and it’s deeply tied to poverty, economic prosperity, justice, and politics — though often our conversations about the environment can be one-dimensional. Conventional food systems are a huge driver of greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. In Canada, most of our food is produced by large-scale farms, or travels great distances to reach our plates. This contributes 30 to 35 per cent of the country’s total greenhouse gas emissions, mostly from agriculture, energy consumption, and food waste. If Canada is going to reach its climate change goals, we must transform our food systems and ensure they become both equitable and resilient.

What are equitable and resilient food systems?

Food systems are considered equitable when they provide healthy, culturally relevant food to all, offer good (and safe) jobs, and help create strong communities. Most Canadian food systems aren’t equitable, and one in eight households in Canada is food insecure. Many racialized communities are disproportionately affected, with roughly 28 per cent of Black and Indigenous households experiencing food insecurity in comparison to 11 per cent for white households.

Most Canadian food systems are not equitable, and one in eight households in Canada is food insecure.

Food systems are considered resilient when they can withstand disruptions and continue providing food, but the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted just how vulnerable our inequitable food systems really are. Food production employees, especially migrant workers, who were forced to work (and sometimes live) in unsafe working conditions, were at higher risk of developing COVID-19. Outbreaks closed processing plants and farms, leaving people out of work, while border closures caused shipment delays and grocery stores faced intermittent
shortages.

Fighting climate change with equity and resiliency

Both equity and resiliency can be partly addressed by investing in local, sustainable food systems, which in turn support climate goals. Many Canadian charities and grassroots groups are making this needed change, like the more than 40 charities that are included in Unite for Change’s Land and Food Justice Fund. The Fund includes charities that are helping young, local farmers access arable land so they can focus on low-emisssions, ecological food production. It also includes organizations that are creating community food programs dedicated to supporting marginalized communities and increasing locally sourced foods in climate-friendly ways, advancing food sovereignty within Black and Indigenous communities, and creating programs that reduce food waste. The Global Alliance for the Future of Food estimates that continuing these practices worldwide could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10.3 billion tonnes a year.

With support, these organizations can continue their critical work and help transform and strengthen food systems.

The post Tackling Climate Change Through Equitable and Resilient Food Systems appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Sparrow (sparrowshare.com) is a Canadian homesharing platform and community that matches hosts with spare bedrooms and people seeking budget-friendly places to live.

As Canadians age, many dream of remaining in the homes and neighbourhoods they’ve come to know and love. In fact, 86 per cent of urban Canadian older adult homeowners want to live in their homes for as long as possible.

Homesharing presents a viable solution to help achieve this — where hosts rent out unused spare bedrooms in their home to like-minded housemates in exchange for rent (and possibly added help around the house). This solution helps hosts to generate passive income — up to $1,200 per month — and build social connections, while renters benefit from access to quality housing, typically below market rates.

A CCEA study estimated there are five million empty bedrooms in Ontario. Based on census data, Sparrow estimates that there are over 12 million empty bedrooms across Canada.

Sparrow places safety at the centre of its services, embedding identity verification, background checks, homeshare agreements, and screening interviews into its matching process. The platform also includes compatibility matching to enable better connections based on habits, lifestyle, and living preferences.

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Imagine working your entire life, only to find yourself facing eviction and the possibility of homelessness in your golden years. Where would you turn for help? Unfortunately, for thousands of Canadian seniors living in Canada, this is not just hypothetical: it’s their reality.

Homes First has provided homes and essential support services to seniors, families, and single adults for nearly 40 years. Our sector has noticed a steady rise in the number of seniors experiencing homelessness in our city. Some have been in and out of homelessness their entire lives; now, the pandemic, inflation, and some of the highest housing costs we’ve seen in years have led to many seniors becoming homeless for the first time in their life. 

Homelessness can happen for many reasons. If you’re on disability support from the Ontario government, your monthly income is approximately $1,200 — the total for both rent and living costs in Canada’s most expensive city. Other leading causes for older adults include:

• A lack of savings.
• A shortage of affordable housing.
• Deteriorating mental and physical health and even the loss of a spouse.

In addition to housing affordability, age-appropriate support services are essential for older adults to maintain their housing and independence. 

Statistics Canada predicts that by 2030 a quarter of Canadian residents will be seniors. Toronto’s senior population has more than doubled in the last five years. Sadly, Canada does not have the infrastructure or enough age-appropriate services in place to support this vulnerable growing segment of our population. An alarming number of seniors lack adequate family or community support. Many seniors who can no longer afford to live on their own are forced to give up their homes and end up on the streets. 

Statistics Canada predicts that by 2030 a quarter of Canadian residents will be seniors. Toronto’s senior population has more than doubled in the last five years. Sadly, Canada does not have the infrastructure or enough age-appropriate services in place to support this vulnerable growing segment of our population. An alarming number of seniors lack adequate family or community support. Many seniors who can no longer afford to live on their own are forced to give up their homes and end up on the streets. 

In Toronto, over 2,500 seniors accessed emergency shelters in the first four months of 2022 alone. This critical issue demands our attention and requires a specialized approach. We need to act now. 

Our goal at Homes First is to move seniors from homelessness to “homefullness.” To be “Homefull,” seniors need more than a roof over their heads. They need support in accessing the services available to help them thrive. They need connection, community and compassion. With the support of our community, we are helping our seniors’ journey to homefullness by building a centralized community kitchen for an in-house food delivery program, a specialized health-care team to aid with virtual and in person appointments and enhanced social and recreation programming to lower isolation, which is strongly linked to increased health risks. Building a Homefull Toronto means creating a city full of homes and hope. It requires all of us to come together with generosity and commitment. If you give $30 or more toward our Homefull for The Holidays campaign, you will receive a limited edition Homefull Ornament! 

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