Practicing inclusion in social services

Once upon a time, all the way back in 2023, we both sat in a client workshop with service providers in the human and social services sector. We were tasked with exploring the sector’s philosophy for service delivery and how it could make a greater impact for the people of Canada. Many fantastic insights on a range of topics were shared, but when the discussion turned to the meaning of “inclusion,” there was a noticeable pause. It wasn’t that participants didn’t understand the concept or its importance; it was that we found it tricky to provide a useful—let alone universal— definition or examples that could apply to a space as diverse as the public service.

It was an indelible moment. It seems clear enough that inclusion in any social service means having programs and spaces in which all individuals—including staff—feel welcome, safe and empowered. It also seems clear that practicing inclusion means more than hanging a welcome sign on the door or applying blanket solutions. It’s about ensuring Canada's public service delivery resonates and connects with the people it aims to help.

If you’re like us, though, you instantly realize that isn’t a satisfying description. This question, in other words, is tough.

Over the next few posts, we want to put ourselves back into that think tank session (the spirit of it, at any rate) and take another run at the issue. We’ll start, in this post, by asking what inclusion means in the context of delivering public social services specifically to Canadians who have nowhere to call home. What about a single mom who relies on their services? An individual with mental or physical health challenges? A member of the Indigenous community? Someone who identifies as 2SLGTBQIA+?

You get the idea.

Canada is made up of people of all backgrounds and circumstances, so how can the public sector be inclusive of every single person who engages in homelessness programs and supports while also facing limited finances, staffing and other real-world constraints?

Maybe the conversation begins with understanding who we need to consider when delivering inclusive services to Canada's homeless population. Recent stats suggest that upward of 35,000 Canadians experience homelessness every night, and between 150,000 and 300,000 Canadians can be identified as homeless in total. That's important to know, but who are the people behind these numbers?

How many are men, women, visible minorities, or individuals who require additional physical or mental support? When a woman walks in seeking refuge from a violent domestic situation, is she receiving the services she needs at that moment? Are there resources and professionals on hand to address individuals coming in with addiction issues? How about those from different cultural backgrounds: are they receiving support that aligns with their faith?

Again, demonstrating inclusivity can mean something different for every homeless shelter or service provider based on geography, community, and other factors. That's why promoting inclusivity in this space to begin with may require more individualized solutions born of a framework public sector practitioners can use to answer: "Who is coming through my specific door, and is there a way to ensure they feel welcomed, respected and empowered to be helped?"

If the data suggests that a certain number of individuals don't speak English, then it makes sense to have staff available to translate, and/or technology that facilitates communication in multiple languages. Similarly, if some of the clients of a given service centre are hearing impaired, it would be prudent to have an American Sign Language translator or interpreter on staff. The same considerations can be made for those who require a wheelchair, have food restrictions, follow strict cultural practices, and so on.

We can already hear the rebuttal: it’s simply too complex and costly to ensure every program or space designed to address the issue of homelessness be staffed and prepared to meet the needs of every single person that comes through their door. And we agree. Respecting the needs of the individual while delivering vital services for massive communities is a balancing act that's performed across every public service.

This is why we must lean into that complexity to determine what inclusion means to each practitioner. The answer will depend on community, demographics and data; once found, it can serve as a kind of North Star for program design and development.

But then, we must also be cautious not to fit people into overly tidy boxes. We’re all much more complex than any one label. As such, inclusivity in public sector service delivery is understanding which of these differences matters most when providing support, and what it means to provide a service where everyone gets a fair shot.

There is no boilerplate approach to practicing inclusion, but we must continue asking how we can get closer to providing more inclusive places and services for Canadians seeking help. By doing so, we’ll make the best use of our public sector resources and ensure public services have the most impact on their target populations. Please join us over the next few weeks as we consider the same question in other dimensions of social services.