Provincial Prevention Priority

Preventing homelessness and housing insecurity begins in the community.

Prevention is a long game. Regular investment is the only way to win.

To create effective preventions, the root causes of homelessness and housing insecurity must be understood and taken into account.

By designing and implementing a range of prevention supports targeting known contributing factors – poverty, social isolation and more – Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) helps increase resiliency, self-sufficiency and capacity-building for participants, now and in the future.

Research Shows

Research shows that for every $1 invested in preventive services, $7 to $12 dollars in future spending is saved.

Creating Resiliency

Community programming open to all makes a difference in Alberta.

Across a wide range of social issues and support programs, prevention saves money and lives.

By providing affordability programs, FCSS helps Albertans free up household income in a time when inflation and housing costs are on the rise. Providing information and referral to food supports, job resources, and other community discounts, people have more expendable income to support high housing costs. The result is a more housing-secure group of people and community.

A healthy community can alleviate housing insecurity and homelessness.

From babysitting and family courses on divorce, to cultural programming that is open to all, FCSS does the important work of improving futures early on.

Providing communities with evidence-based services that focus on contributing factors to instability in the future helps build healthy communities. As neighbourhoods decline due to lack of community resources and support, the economic health of all residents declines as well – resulting in greater rates of homelessness and housing insecurity.

A greater connection to community creates resiliency + stability.

Seniors and newcomers to Canada are more likely than Alberta’s general population to lack positive social ties and end up at greater risk of social exclusion. The risk of social isolation increases with age, but FCSS programming targets youth in our communities as well, ensuring the next generation will be housing secure, too.

Prevention Strategies

Aligning with provincial strategies for success.

Along with the provincial priorities, FCSS programs follow the Government of Alberta’s prevention strategies – creating impacts across a wide spectrum of social challenges with interventions to help prevent housing insecurity and homelessness.

Strategies at a higher level

Learn how we bring these strategies to life through programming across Alberta.

The FCSS programming offered across Alberta helps bring these strategies to life for the people in our province. But what can they look like at a higher level?

  • Helping communities identify their social needs and how to meet those needs
  • Prioritizing volunteer work in the community
  • Developing resiliency skills in individuals and families
  • Aiding the social development of children and their families
  • Supporting seniors’ health and connection to their communities
  • Promoting and providing access to social supports in the community

Share our homelessness + housing insecurity work.

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Aging well in the community

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Mental health + addictions

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Family + sexual violence

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Employment

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