Approaches to supporting people experiencing complex and overlapping vulnerabilities in Downtown East Toronto

The meaningful issues that are deeply-rooted in the Downtown East Toronto include poverty, homelessness, housing, community safety, mental health, substance use and the drug poisoning crisis. Challenges accessing formal systems for support and resources results from experiences with overlapping systems of exclusion and intersecting points of oppressions like stigma, racism or gender. The main question of this study is how can City of Toronto and community resources, programs, policy or partnership opportunities be leveraged to support people experiencing complex vulnerabilities in the Downtown East. The goal is to achieve this through leveraging the significant work that is already being done in the area and identifying the common elements that are shared between services providers, community members, clients and other stakeholders. It is focused on exploring strategies that can make a difference right now for those suffering in our communities in the Downtown East. This study uses a critical policy studies approach that has a big focus on social inequality and how this approach can be used to challenge existing inequality through policy work.

Faculty Supervisor:

Ronald Vogel

Student:

Partner:

City of Toronto

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology; Public administration; Utilities

University:

Toronto Metropolitan University

Program: