Northern Pathways to Housing

To address homelessness in small communities outside of Yellowknife, Housing NWT has developed the Northern Pathways to Housing, a Supportive Housing Program for single adults experiencing housing instability. The goal of the program is to stabilize individuals with housing and work with communities to develop wrap-around systems of support to encourage the integration of individuals into the community.

To date, the Housing NWT is supporting four northern pathway projects in Aklavik, Fort Simpson, Behchokǫ̀ and Fort Good Hope.

Housing NWT works with community groups (Tłı̨chǫ Leagia Ts’iili Kǫ, Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nations, K'asho Got'ı̨nę Housing Society, Aklavik Indian Band) to develop, design and implement supportive housing for our residents through the Northern Pathways to Housing Program.  The program involves providing four apartment-style single-room units to community partners, along with funding support to pay for the additional costs associated with the operation of a supportive housing program.

The community partner works with the program participants to maintain their housing stability and respond to their individual needs.  This support includes connecting them with available services and resources from community agencies.  The community partner chooses the program participants through a committee. The program allows the community to prioritize the needs that they see as the most urgent.

With this program, it is important to note that “success” is not defined solely by the number of clients transitioning through the program, but is identified by each community, each client, and can look very different depending on the program. Each client in the Northern Pathways to Housing programs works with their housing support worker to develop an individual program plan to identify their unique goals. An example of client success within the Northern Pathways to Housing program may include a client going south for addictions treatment and maintaining sobriety when they come back to their community, or helping a client successfully obtain a market rental or public housing unit.

The K’asho Got’ı̨nę Housing Society (KGHS) operates the Fort Good Hope men’s transition home (Kádúyı́le Home). The Home provides a safe and supportive environment for up to four single males in a group living environment. Programming in the Home, led by the Kádúyı́le Home Coordinator, includes integrated case management services, healthy living skills, and cultural and on-the-land programming.

The Aklavik Northern Pathways has been operating since March 2019, hiring a Housing Stability Worker, developing a committee of frontline service providers, and arranging for the Aklavik Indian Band (AIB) and community members to assist with the oversight of the program. The Northern Pathways project in Aklavik is currently fully subscribed, and houses four community members who were experiencing homelessness.

The Fort Simpson Northern Pathways unit has been operational since May 2018, with the Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation (LKFN).

The Behchokǫ̀ Northern Pathways unit opened in June 2019, and began by hiring a Housing Stability Worker with the Tłı̨chǫ Friendship Centre, immediately housing five community members. Currently, four participants are being housed in the program.

All the programming that occurs through the Northern Pathways programs is created and delivered with intention, to ensure the clients in the home are receiving a level of support that will encourage and motivate them to gain new skills and become self-reliant.

Examples of programming include:

• life skills development: healthy eating, budgeting, cooking
• supports to integrate residents back into the community
• cultural counselling
• on-the-land programming
• linking residents to suitable resources (education, employment, counselling, health)
• providing shelters to individuals at imminent risk of homelessness
• providing basic or urgent needs services (food, clothing, accommodation)