Using community values and evidence to respond to homelessness together: a case for methodological flexibility

Area of Science:

• Community-based participatory research
• Knowledge mobilization
• Social policy analysis

Background:

• Canada's deepening homelessness crisis exacerbated by policy failures and structural inequities.
• Mid-sized Ontario cities face increased housing and homelessness pressures due to downloaded responsibilities.
• Need for coordinated, community-driven, evidence-informed responses transcending traditional silos.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine collaborative efforts to address homelessness in Peterborough, Ontario.
• Distil a local research-to-action process for evidence-led problem-solving.
• Explore balancing academic/activist frameworks with community values for social change.

Main Methods:

• Institutional ethnography, community-based participatory research, knowledge mobilization, and community organizing.
• Two coordinated research projects culminating in a community forum and symposium.
• Co-design with people with lived experience, Indigenous organizations, service providers, and municipal staff.

Main Results:

• Mobilized local evidence, identifying key policy and practice priorities.
• Generated community actions: resource hub, advocacy committee, enhanced justice access.
• Strengthened inter-sectoral collaboration, accountability, and solidarity.

Conclusions:

• The process built local agency and collective capacity for policy advocacy and resource coordination, though not directly reducing homelessness.
• Offers an adaptable model for communities addressing complex social challenges, grounded in local evidence and shared values.