Newcastle Place

78 Supportive Housing Beds

In late 2018, BC Housing purchased property at 250 Terminal Avenue to locate modular buildings to provide temporary supportive housing. This was in response to an urgent need for housing for people experiencing and at risk of homelessness in the community, including those who were residing at a tent city in the downtown area.

At Newcastle, participants have access to washrooms, laundry, and a dining room, to meet their basic needs. They also have the opportunity to interact with a variety of trained staff and visiting health professionals each day, with efficient and direct referrals to treatment options, onsite health and medical services, and employment and life skills programming.

Support is offered in the form of encouragement, care, and resources that allow people to gain or maintain health and well being. At Newcastle Place support is tied to individualized plans that outline each person’s unique needs, goals, and plans. Working from these personal plans program participants, staff, and health care professionals work together on strategies to overcome challenges they have faced.

All staff at Newcastle Place have a shared goal to create a safe supportive environment for program participants to achieve and maintain housing stability.

Safe

Security includes a personal room with a locking door, 24 hour staffing, and a variety of standard security measures such as well lit and fenced grounds, extensive camera monitoring, and a controlled entrance. Visiting workers, officials, contractors, and trades people must register at the Welcome Centre for orientation on safety procedures and other protocols.

Supportive

Support is encouragement, care, and resources that allow people to gain or maintain health and well being. At Newcastle Place support is tied to individualized plans that outline each person’s unique needs, goals, and plans. Working from these personal plans program participants, staff, and health care professionals work together on strategies to overcome barriers and challenges. The Housing First model endorsed by the Canadian Government requires integrated support for success.

Housing Stability

Stability is firstly about predictable, reliable shelter people can count on. At Newcastle, participants have access to washrooms, laundry, and a dining room, to meet their basic needs. They also have the opportunity to interact with a variety of trained staff and visiting health professionals each day.

Onsite Staff and Health Professionals

ICCS Workers

• 4 Support Workers are on shift at all times to provide emotional and practical support to program participants and general security for the buildings.
• Outreach Workers are on site daily to provide case planning, assistance with referrals, and liaison with community services and programs.
• Full time Program Manager oversees all programming including staffing, security, and client services.
• A Food Service Supervisor provide 2 nourishing meals per day to all residents out of a commercial kitchen.
• A Housekeeper assists program participants to manage their belongings, reduce clutter, and maintain a clean living space.
• A Custodian provides consistent timely cleaning of all public hallways and spaces, including garbage removal and grounds maintenance.
• A building Maintenance Worker ensures that all the systems of the building are in good repair and working order.

Island Health Workers

• Nurses provide basic health services, referrals, and health coaching.
• Case managers provide clinical assessments and access to specialized mental health and substance use services

Community and Volunteers

Newcastle Place has opportunities for neighbours and stakeholders in the community to learn about and give feedback through the Community Advisory Committee (CAC). Our CAC membership is comprised of approximately 12 individuals representing the following groups:

• 5 Community members who are neighbouring residents or involved in a community organization, business, etc.
• 1 Newcastle Place Program Participant
• 2 ICCS representatives
• 1 Security Company representative
• 2 Island Health representatives
• 2 RCMP representatives
• 2 City of Nanaimo representatives
• 1 BC Housing representative

The committee serves to build and maintain positive relationships in the community, facilitate information sharing and dialogue, and identify and resolve any issues, opportunities, and concerns related to the programs operation. The Terms of reference for the committee are located here.

Clean Team and Volunteer Involvement

Program participants will be given the opportunity to help contribute to the neighbourhood by providing clean-up of garbage in the areas surrounding the property. In addition groups like Friends of 250 and others will be given an opportunity to volunteer with program participants in therapeutic actives such as gardening.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this a program or housing?

Newcastle Place is a program of services under the Supportive Housing classification that has program objectives and outcome measures. These elements make it different from affordable housing or a regular rental arrangement. The focus is to provide an affordable, safe, secure home for people who have a low income, have been or are at risk of homelessness, and require supports with mental health and/or substance use.

How long until a more permanent solution?

Permanent Supportive Housing in Nanaimo must go through the necessary political, legal, and municipal bylaw processes. A number of buildings already exist in Nanaimo and each took up to 5 years of preliminary work to establish a memorandum of understanding with key governmental bodies. Construction took more time. The provincial governments new rapid rehousing initiative can speed up the construction and funding process and we are optimistic that with community support a permanent solution could be achieved in 2 to 5 years.