Journey Home

In April 2014, United Way partnered with Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service (SCIS) to deliver a Housing First program in Saskatoon. SCIS was a natural partner given their extensive experience working with a highly vulnerable population of our city. The program focuses on our most vulnerable citizens who have been chronically homeless, most of whom also struggle with complex issues related to mental health and addictions.

This program, named by United Way as Journey Home, is based on the international Housing First model, which moves people from homelessness directly into housing without any barriers.

The name Journey Home reflects the program’s purpose – to give people who have experienced chronic homelessness an opportunity to have a place to call home, while receiving support that helps them through their journey to stability and recovery.

Journey Home has become a critical part of an emerging network of Housing First programs in Saskatoon. Journey Home is the one highly specialized program in the network that focuses on chronically homeless individuals with the most complex needs.