Exploring the relationship of availability and conditions of reserve housing to hidden homeless among urban First Nation band members.
Dr. Evelyn Peters
Professor and Canada Research Chair, Department of Geography & Planning, University Of Saskatchewan
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Urban Hidden Homelessness and Reserve Housing
1. Urban Hidden Homelessness and Reserve Housing Evelyn Peters University of Saskatchewan Vince Robillard Prince Albert Grand Council Urban Services Inc.
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Hinweis der Redaktion
- This paper explores the relationship of availability and conditions of reserve housing to hidden homeless among urban First Nation band members. - It is part of a larger longitudinal study that attempted to explore factors associated with change or lack of change in First Nations hidden homeless individual’s housing situation over time. Slide summarizes some participants’ comments about the nature of reserve housing.
The study was a collaborative project between Prince Albert Grand Council Urban Services Inc. (PAGC Urban) and the Geography Department at the University of Saskatchewan. According to the census, the 2006 population of Prince Albert was 40,766 with an Aboriginal identity population of 13,570. A large proportion of the Aboriginal population is First Nations, represented by the Prince Albert Grand Council (PAGC). PAGC Urban has been involved in a variety of initiatives to address First Nations homelessness in Prince Albert.
In the context of a tendency in the literature to homogenize urban First Nations as socio-economically marginalized, it is important to emphasize that this group does not represent the whole urban First Nations population. It is also important to emphasize the strengths of many of these participants – they were articulate, insightful and showed an enormous resiliency in coping with difficult situations.
Of the ninety participants who gave an answer to the question “If you had your own housing on reserve, would you live there?” forty-four (48.9%) answered that they would. Not all of these individuals indicated why they would live on the reserve, but the available answers give some indication of what participants looked for, from the reserve setting. A major theme was that if individuals had a place of their own, they would be able to live with family members. For some, both male and female, this meant that they would be able to live with their children. For others it meant being closer to their family of origin. There was also a longing for a place of their own in these statements. Others saw conditions on reserves as providing a better place for both themselves and their children. In contrast to individuals who would not move to the reserve because of alcohol and drugs, some of these individuals saw reserve locations as a place where they could get away from these addictions. The answers emphasize the importance of understanding the variety of conditions on reserves, and not labelling reserves as homogeneous.
A major theme was that if individuals had a place of their own, they would be able to live with family members. For some, both male and female, this meant that they would be able to live with their children. For others it meant being closer to their family of origin. There was also a longing for a place of their own in these statements.
Others saw conditions on reserves as providing a better place for both themselves and their children. In contrast to individuals who would not move to the reserve because of alcohol and drugs, some of these individuals saw reserve locations as a place where they could get away from these addictions. The answers emphasize the importance of understanding the variety of conditions on reserves, and not labelling reserves as homogeneous.