Ignite the Warmth is a registered non-profit organization founded by students, dedicated to addressing issues of poverty and homelessness in the Greater Vancouver Area. An important facet of their efforts to help alleviate poverty is providing volunteer experiences for students and community members that offer first-hand contact with those who are homeless or living in poverty. This helps combat stigma and prejudice, and promotes a deeper, more empathetic understanding of the issue.

Our research revealed two areas that ITW considers to be vital in helping lift the homeless out of poverty: shelter and employment. We chose to develop a solution in employment because it was more feasible for ITW to pursue - and our chosen solution was to act as a support to help scaffold towards successful employment and navigate/simplify current job application processes.

Currently, the group’s efforts include an annual blanket and clothing drives, and while these events satisfy clear and immediate needs, it is a “band-aid solution” to symptoms of larger issues. Ignite The Warmth just officially registered as a charity and is looking to expand their activities to include initiatives to give people the tools they need to improve their own lives sustainably.

Our target audience are the “Invisible Homeless”: individuals who are are stuck in non-permanent, unstable, or dangerous living situations because they lack the financial means to better their situation. They can be unemployed, or working a low-paying (minimum-wage) job but they don’t have enough to afford housing.

Targeting the lower end of the scale is a preventative strategy that hopes to prevent those who are already at risk from progressing or relapsing into more severe conditions.

Helps people experiencing economic hardship and housing instability through the process of finding a job that offers real prospects for sustained financial security.

It empowers them with the skills and knowledge they need to present themselves as an attractive candidate for employers, and helps ensure that they find a working environment that is comfortable for them.