Trans Wellness Ontario pushes for LGBTQ training for housing, shelter staff

At the same time Melissa Carriere was helpingmembers of Windsor's LGBTQ community find shelter, she herself was homeless.

"I was thinking, 'how could I be a housing support worker, I don't even know how to make this work for me,'" said Carriere, who has since changed roles at Trans Wellness Ontario fromhousing support worker to acoordinator and registered social worker.

Carrieresaid she never lived on the streets, but would temporarily stay with friends or family members. She said shewas a teen mom and lived in poverty, adding that her credit score and lack of affordability prevented her from getting a place.

Throughout her adult life, she said she moved more than 20 times. Last week, she finally secured stable housing.

Housing can be struggle for many in the LGBTQ community.

The communityfaces particular challenges around safety and affordability, said Carriere, who identifies as queer. As acis-genderwoman, Carriere said she hasn't experienced issues with safety, but she hears about this from herclients.

"[If]the landlord or the leasing agent is someone who isn't familiar with trans folks, they might have a very different reaction ... so just that inability to guarantee someone's psychological safety to go to a [house] viewing, can you imagine then if they move into that building?" she said.

Carriere now sits on the city's Housing and Homelessness Advisory Committee and she's hoping to bring the community's concerns to the table.

She said LGBTQcultural competency training for housing workers and making emergency shelters more accommodating for this group is a good starting point.

"A lot of times, the discrimination that comes from service providers to our trans folks, it isn't intentional," she said

"It's just ignorance, it's a lack of education."

WATCH:Melissa Carriereshares her experience and how she's helping others

Trans Wellness Ontario coordinator shares her personal experience and how she's helping others

2 years ago

Duration 1:45

Melissa Carriere is a coordinator and registered social worker at Trans Wellness Ontario. She says she would like to see training around LGBTQ+ cultural competency, as that will inform people on how to interact with the community and address their needs.

Trans Wellness Ontario doesn't currently have a designated housing coordinator, but Carriere told CBC News that all her staff provide that sort of support to clients.

Minutes from the June 2022 Housing and Homelessness Advisory Committee meeting note that in 2021, Trans Wellness Ontario provided housing assistance to 30 people.

During that same meeting, the committee adopted a motion to have city administration look into training opportunities for emergency shelter staff.

Trans Wellness Ontario staff also noted that the City of Toronto has made LGBTQcultural competency training mandatory for city shelter staff.

In an email to CBC News, the City of Windsor did not directly answer whether it would consider making this training mandatory.

"There is a strong willingness among the emergency shelter service providers to offer LGBTQ2S-related training to their staff and the city will continue to encourage and promote these important professional development efforts," reads a statement from the city's housing department.

It also said it is working to connect emergency shelter service providers with community organizations that serve the LGBTQ community in order to increase awareness of these issues.

Carriere told CBC News that training and emergency shelter supports aren't the solution, adding that the issue is layered and also requires supporting the community in other ways, like increasing the Ontario Disability Support Program funding and reducing barriers in rental applications.

Here's how mayoral candidates say they'll help

CBC News asked each mayoral candidate what resources and supports they will implement to help the LGBTQcommunity find safe and affordable housing.

Candidate Louis Vaupotic told CBC News that shared accommodation would be helpful for people on a budget and that the city can also look to offer LGBTQhousing. He added that the priority would be for people who feel their safety is at risk or who have been victimized.

Candidate Benjamin Danyluk said,"this is an issue affecting a majority of us across Canada and can not be defined by any group."

He added that the city needs to put all non-essential projects on hold to focus trade workers on housing. He said it's important to get upper levels of government stepping up to help as well.

"We need resources. Funding would help, but most important, we need the man power."

Matt Giancola said he, "will build resources and support systems for all people in need."

Chris Holt told CBC News that he would consult with the LGBTQ+ community to understand the supports best needed to help them.

"The biggest thing is just to really listen, we need every member of our community regardless of what community they represent to feel safe and secure and have the pathways to achieving their goals," he said, adding it comes down to welcoming and safe neighbourhoods.

Ernie Lamont, Aaron Day and Drew Dilkens did not respond to a request for comment.