A group representing 16,000 residents in downtown Windsor wants to improve relations between them and those experiencing homelessness.
The Downtown Windsor Community Collective is hosting a workshop on Wednesday, February 19, at the Windsor Media Arts Community Centre on Victoria Avenue.
It's called "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Homelessness, But Didn't Know Who To Ask."
"Our hope is that people attending the event grow in their understanding and empathy, removing the stigma that people on the street face," read a release from the collective. The event isn't about agencies or government solutions, although that's needed. The question is, how can we support and empower residents to care for our neighbours without a fixed address?"
The workshop, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., has four goals. Residents will be given practical tools for healthy interactions with neighbours of no fixed address, awareness of available resources and agencies, increasing empathy through a deeper understanding of homelessness, and constructively responding as neighbours through a Block Connector Network.
Four presentations of ten to 15 minutes will allow residents to discuss the material while providing space for questions and clarification.