The Fred Victor Mission Experience

Publisher:  c/o Paul Webb-Fred Victor Mission, Toronto, Canada
Year Published:  1979  
Pages:  8pp  
Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX2241

This paper begins by outlining how in the last ten years Fred Victor Mission's concept of service to poor people in the inner core has evolved toward the development of a social change process with the men on skid row.

Abstract:  This paper begins by outlining how in the last ten years Fred Victor Mission's concept of service to poor people in the inner core has evolved toward the development of a social change process with the men on skid row.

In the late sixties, a group of staff from downtown Toronto churches and agencies including Fred Victor Mission attempted to address themselves to the "revolving door" on skid row - men on skid row spend most of their time and energy attempting to get basic services (food, clothing) from the many agencies and thus are unable to make fundamental life changes. This group of agencies responded by working toward a better coordination of services among themselves and formed the Single Displaced Persons Project (S.D.P.)

SDP began with a detailed analysis of then men on skid row and data gathered lead to the shattering of a number of myths about single displaced people (e.g. that most are alcoholic or lazy). Co-ordination of services meant that services would have to be geared specifically to the goals and needs of the men. Accordingly, the "diagnostic process' was created - this process served a number of purposes: a) to hold individual agencies accountable for the services offered; b) to function as a support system among agencies and their staff; c) to provide data to identify gaps and weaknesses in services and d) to understand the goals of the men better.

The diagnostic process involves four basic steps: intake, short-term goal-setting (community), long-term supportive communities and integration into the larger society. The diagnostic process is managed by a Coordinating Community made up of program staff of the participating agencies in SDP.

The Single Displaced Persons Project has initiated action-research studies in the areas of housing, employment and the adequacy of psychiatric services for single displaced persons. Some action followed these studies. A study of 106 men who had been through the diagnostic process indicated that about 40% of their goals had been achieved or were still being actively worked on.

Fred Victor Mission has worked with other organizations to re-orient their resources to this effort.