Give them a chance

By John Mohan

Last week the Senate's subcommittee on cities which is conducting a study on poverty, housing and homelessness stopped in Winnipeg as part of a cross-Canada tour.

Building Futures which employs and trains homeless men and women in construction and millwork skills was on their itinerary. Senators Art Eggleton of Toronto and Lillian Dyck of Saskatoon met with director Stephen Dombowsky and four program participants.

They listened intently and respectfully and asked honest questions about the struggles homeless Canadians face while on the streets and the obstacles they face to regain their lives.

The general consensus of the Building Futures employees was that government-driven systems are inadequate to authentically assist people successfully moving from the streets to homes. It was also agreed that non-profit organizations are best positioned to respond to social needs through creating and delivering effective programs. Larry Novadale has been part of Building Futures since last September. At age 49, he's lived a long life. Growing up in a home with a violent and abusive father, he masked his pain through sports -- hockey, baseball and soccer. He was obsessive with practicing but motivated by just finding a reason to stay away from the house.

Larry's skills were so noticed that he was offered a professional soccer contract to play in Portugal where he lived and played for over a decade.

But with money came opportunity to self-indulge.

Cocaine was his undoing, which along with a knee injury destroyed his life. He retired at age 29 and returned to Canada to care for his ailing mother.

His second career was as a landscape labourer but the endless seasonal layoffs had grown old.

A friend told him an inner city agency had an employment training program and within days he had an interview and was hired with Building Futures and earning enough money to get out of sleeping in Hannah's Place Emergency Shelter at Siloam Mission.

Larry's hard work and positive attitude were noticed immediately but there was also a brewing frustration that he was having difficulty admitting. His wood cuts were unsatisfactory.

He was afraid his eyesight might be an issue but he couldn't afford an eye exam or glasses. Reluctantly he admitted his dilemma but feared he would be released from the program.

It's hard to know how responsive or helpful a myriad of government agencies would have been to help Larry but Building Futures went into immediate action.

The Saul Sair Health Centre was contacted the same day who asked a optician to provide a free eye exam and also arranged the needed eye glasses to be paid for through a modest payroll deduction. Problem solved. No job loss.

No repeated homelessness. No return to employment insurance or social assistance. And no red tape.

Larry gets to keep moving forward while developing his skills with his dignity intact.

If the senators were expecting a call for more federal dollars to fund short-term, dead-end programs they were disappointed.

What they saw was a man who just needed a chance and some eyeglasses.

-- John Mohan is the CEO of Siloam Mission.

Last Updated: 22nd July 2009, 1:02am

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