SSICS will receive three grants from the SSI Foundation this round:
5,000 to establish a Ready to Rent program which provides information and coaching to individuals on how to be a good tenant. One particular focus will be on youth. We also hope to broaden the scope eventually to include education and support for landlords as well.
2,500 for a Celebrating Youth project that will see SSICS, through the Core Inn, take the lead in coordinating a series (3 or 4 per year) of youth activity weeks. During these designated weeks youth organizations will feature certain activities to showcase their services, and organizations will work together to promote a community understanding of youth and their need for positive community inclusion. Organizations include, but are not limited to: school district, library, parks and recreation, SWOVA, SSICS (Core Inn, climbing wall).
1,800 to help with the development of a Salt Spring Island Housing First Plan (which in many communities, including ours may typically be called a “homeless plan”). This plan will be an extension of the recent SSI Housing Needs Assessment, in a similar way that there is a seniors housing extension of this assessment emerging.