Brantford-Brant 2020 PiT Count

The City of Brantford, in partnership with Brantford Native Housing, is conducting the Brantford-Brant Point-in-Time (PiT) Count on Thursday, March 26, 2020. The PiT Count will help to identify how many people in our community experience homelessness in shelters and on the streets on a given night.

Brantford Native Housing will also be hosting a Community Gathering on Thursday, March 26 from 5:00-9:00pm that will include free food and entertainment (featuring indigenous drumming), as well as activities, haircuts, service referrals and much more.

Why conduct a PiT Count?
The Brantford-Brant 2020 PiT Count is part of a federally mandated initiative coordinated across Canada. Brantford-Brant participated in the previous PiT Counts in 2016 and 2018. The PiT Count is part of the Reaching Home program to prevent and reduce homelessness and will build on data from previous years to better understand homelessness in the community.
What are the benefits of the PiT Count?

The data collected will help to inform and improve services, policies, and programs that prevent and reduce homelessness in our community and across Canada. The PiT Count will also enable our community to:

  • Identify characteristics and demographics of the homeless population
  • Measure progress towards ending homelessness
  • Increase public awareness about homelessness
What is the Community Gathering?
This event will be hosted on the evening of the PiT Count to encourage participation from individuals currently experiencing homelessness (or at risk of experiencing homelessness), who might be missed through other methods. The event is a community gathering open to the public that will include food, community resources, entertainment, and service referrals.

For more information regarding the PiT Count, please contact Stephanie Cooper, Corporate Initiatives Coordinator, City of Brantford at scooper@brantford.ca or 519-759-3330 ext. 6338.

Volunteer Recruitment

Our partner, Brantford Native Housing, will be recruiting volunteers for Brantford-Brant’s 2020 Point-in-Time (PiT) Count. By volunteering for the Count, you will support our community in gathering valuable information that governments, service providers, community groups, and funders use to plan appropriate programs to address homelessness and measure our progress in ending homelessness.

Ideal volunteers are:

  • Comfortable with one-on-one conversations
  • Have a non-judgmental attitude
  • May have knowledge or experience working with vulnerable individuals
  • Must be 19 years of age or older

Volunteer FAQ

What does a PiT Count volunteer do?

Volunteers will be needed to support various PiT Count Activities, including:

  • Survey Team: Volunteers will work in teams of three or four and will walk along an assigned route. Every individual encountered on the route will be screened and asked if they have a place to sleep that night; if they do not, they will be asked to complete the PiT survey.
  • Survey Teams will also be stationed at the community gathering.
  • Support Team: Volunteers will assist at the community gathering event by distributing resources and care packages, answering questions and directing community members, assisting in set-up and take down, and supporting other activities as needed.
What type of training will I receive?
All volunteers will receive additional information and training. Volunteers will learn how to approach individuals being surveyed, how to conduct the PiT Count survey, and will receive helpful tips and resources, such Indigenous cultural sensitivity training.
Will I be safe?

Your safety is our highest priority and a number of precautionary measures will be in place:

  • You will work in teams of no less than three, led by an experienced outreach worker.
  • You will NOT be asked to walk in wooded areas, alleyways, or through private property.
  • You will have access to additional support and resource teams.
How do I sign up?
Complete the Volunteer Registration Form. For any questions regarding volunteering, please contact Paula Whitlow from Brantford Native Housing at pwhitlow@brantfordnativehousing.com or 519-756-2205 x224