Advise on and advocate for programs that effectively end homelessness
Too often decisions about safety net programs, including affordable housing, are made without people who have experienced the problems in the room to help decide what to do.
If you are experiencing or have experienced homelessness, find avenues to share your insights. Reach out to nonprofits, community leaders, and especially to philanthropic organizations to express an interest in helping to ensure there is more urgency around the issue and that efforts are targeted and effective.
To get started:
Craft your personal narrative, to include your experiences with housing (public or otherwise).
Provide statistics to create a captivating narrative.
Identify county- and state-level government officials and contact them to advocate for change or align yourself with an organization or community leader who is dedicated to housing reform and build a coalition.
Best Practices / Innovative Programs
Results’ Experts on Poverty use their first-hand experience to mobilize their community, publish media, and talk to elected officials.
Destination:Home, in San Jose, California, has a Lived Experience Advisory Board consisting of members with current or past experience of homelessness. Members use this platform to learn about and evaluate the system of care and to make recommendations for improvement.
The Lived Experience Advisory Committee in Baltimore allows people with lived experience of homelessness to provide expertise and recommendations to the Continuum of Care and the Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services to improve the quality of effectiveness of the homeless service system. The committee meets weekly and is open to anyone with lived experience. There is also a Youth Advisory Board that provides the unique perspective of the plight of youth
