Alberta Researchers Focused on Turning Homelessness Research into Action

CALGARY, ALBERTA--(Marketwired - April 19, 2017) - Every other year social researcher's from across the province gather to celebrate Alberta's most innovative homelessness research. The event brings together researchers, service providers, government officials, and many individuals interested in gaining more knowledge on why homelessness research matters, and how we can transform research into action.

Coordinated by Calgary Homeless Foundation (CHF), the 4^th Biennial Homelessness Research Symposium is a platform where researchers, communities, and agencies gain new insights, identify gaps in knowledge and discuss opportunities for improved practice. This event is important because it creates collaborative efforts focused on ending homelessness and providing a better homelessness-serving system of care.

There will be seventeen presentations over the two day event covering diverse elements of homelessness research. This year's event will feature keynote addresses from Kahente Horn-Miller Ph.D. and MP Calgary Centre and Minister of Veterans Affairs, the Honourable Kent Hehr. Dr. Kahente Horn-Miller has spent her life theorizing issues that indigenous peoples face as a way to find solutions as well as putting these theories in to practice. Minister Hehr has a focus in Veterans Affairs and is also an advocate for funding public education and equal rights in the LGBTQ community. Both Keynote speakers will provide unique insights on homelessness and how their respective areas are working to create real results.

"It's really exciting when the researchers tell the rest of us what they've been working on. It's equally important when community then tells researchers what they think of the research," explains Nick Falvo, Director of Research and Data at Calgary Homeless Foundation. "This is a great opportunity to bring community and researchers together for two days."

"There is a wealth of knowledge in the homeless-serving research community and that wealth is always growing as we ask new questions, research them, and use that information to guide us when we pioneer new programs and program models," says Diana Krecsy, President & CEO of the Calgary Homeless Foundation. "When we come together as a collective and share our best and most innovative practices, we transform research into action, and ultimately provide a better system of care."

The event runs all day Wednesday and Thursday and is sold out. Anyone interested in finding out more information about any of the presentations please visit Calgary Homeless Foundation's website http://calgaryhomeless.com/info/research-and-data/homelessness-research-symposium/. A summary, presentations, and video will all be posted online after the event.

About CHF

The Calgary Homeless Foundation is a catalyst and enabler for Systems and Service Agencies to optimize client success. CHF focuses on four strategic pillars of work; Research and Development, Community Mobilization, Funder of Outcomes and Impact, and Public and Political Will. CHF addresses gaps and identifies best practices to improve the system of care. Through mobilization of collective impact, CHF is committed to moving forward in partnership with the many homeless-serving agencies, the private sector, government partners, the faith community, other foundations and all Calgarians to end homelessness in Calgary.

CHF is gaining an international reputation as a leading contributor to applied homelessness research, while also establishing itself as a partner on some of the world's most important research on homelessness. Making evidence-based decisions and planning based on research is a key tenet of CHF's role as System Planner for Calgary's Homeless-Serving System of Care. A key ingredient to this approach has been the Homelessness Management Information System (HMIS) which we are constantly looking to expand and enhance. For more information, visit calgaryhomeless.com