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| THE INSTITUTE |
| Overview |
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Founded in 1991, Beyond Shelter's Institute for Research, Training, and
Technical Assistance (the Institute) is a nationally recognized training and
technical assistance leader in the fields of family homelessness and
affordable housing. As a complement to the agency as a whole, the Institute
provides the means by which Beyond Shelter's program methodologies are
shared with others, through two-day national workshops, local, regional, and
national presentations, program methodology manuals, research and policy
briefs, and direct consulting to nonprofit and governmental agencies.
The organization's programs serve as a "laboratory" for the development of
cutting-edge program methodologies, intended to demonstrate innovative ways
of structuring and funding existing services, resources and partnerships to
promote policy and practice change nationally. Rather than promoting
replication of our programs, however, the agency - through the Institute -
promotes adaptation of the key generic components of these initiatives to be
compatible with and responsive to the available resources and identified
needs of local communities.
Through this approach, the information offered via presentations, workshops,
and print material is relevant to, and can be customized for, all audiences
ranging from grassroots and faith-based program operators in small, rural
areas to sophisticated public and private agencies in large, urban settings
like New York and Chicago.
The Institute's technical assistance activities include regional and
national technical assistance workshops, direct consulting, and
presentations at state, regional and national conferences.
Local, State &
National Technical
Assistance Workshops
Beyond Shelter's workshops focus on three basic initiatives:
- "Housing First": Ending & Preventing Family Homelessness,
Models & Methodologies
This workshop covers "housing first," an
innovative approach to ending and preventing family
homelessness. The workshop provides a forum for
dialogue and interaction, to share ideas, problem
solve, and learn new ways to implement and adapt
"housing first" methodologies - from single agency
program operations to countywide, collaborative
systems. Geared toward agency directors, social
services administrators, project managers and
front-line staff working with homeless and at-risk
families, the workshop provides hands-on instruction
on how to adapt this basic methodology in their own
communities.
- Service-Enriched
Affordable Housing: Models & Methodologies
Beyond Shelter's Service-Enriched Housing workshop promotes the
incorporation of social services mechanisms into the ongoing operation of
affordable rental housing for the low-income population at-large, not
necessarily targeted to those who are at-risk or with special needs. The
workshop is geared to housing developers and owners, property managers, public
officials, funders, community development banks and community-based service
providers who currently operate or would like to develop service-enriched
housing.
- Alternative
Emergency Shelter Models: Master-Leased Apartments As Shelter
This workshop discusses the limitations and challenges of traditional shelter
models, including facility-based programs and motels, and examines the financial
and human benefits of leasing apartments in the community at-large for use as
emergency shelter. Program planning and design considerations are discussed,
including staffing, property management, potential funding sources, rapid rehousing strategies and transition-in-place options, the creation of house
rules or contracts, and the provision of voluntary support services. The
workshop is geared to shelter providers, program planners, funders, and public
officials.
Examples of
Recent Workshops
December 18,
2008 - United Way of the Midlands, Partners in Compassion (PIC)
Institute's "Homeless Prevention Workshop," held in Colombia, SC -
Half-day workshop for grantees and other housing and service providers
on Housing First for homeless families
December 9, 2008 - Rapid Re-Housing Collaborative of Austin, held in Austin,
TX - Full-day workshop on case management in Housing First, provided to the
nine partner agencies in the City's Rapid Rehousing Pilot
November 17, 2008 - San Bernardino County Office of Homeless Services'
Homeless Summit, "One Step Closer to Home," held in Rialto, CA - Workshop on
Housing First for Diverse Populations, provided to community-based providers
and elected officials
September 25, 2008 - Westchester County Housing Conference, "New Approaches
Toward Housing the Homeless," held in Yonkers, NY - half-day workshop on
Housing First for Homeless Families, provided to the Commissioners, Board of
Legislators, and service providers in Westchester County
For a comprehensive list
of workshops and presentations conducted since 1990, click
here.
About the Trainers:
Click
here for bios of the
Institute's principal trainers: Tanya Tull, President/CEO, Ryan Macy-Hurley,
Director of the Institute for Research, Training and Technical Assistance,
and Christine Mirasy-Glasco, Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer.
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Consulting Services
For over 15 years, Beyond Shelter's Institute for Research, Training, and
Technical Assistance has helped to promote "housing first" programs
nationwide, through training, consulting, workshops and publications. For
agencies seeking to adapt the "housing first" methodology, the
Institute offers an array of consulting services that can be tailored to an organization's needs. Institute staff conduct needs assessments, design service delivery
mechanisms and assist in the adaptation of service methodologies.
Consulting services are also available to developers, property managers,
owners and others interested in establishing a service-enriched housing
development. Institute staff will help interested parties work through issues of service delivery, partnerships and collaborations, resident
participation, program development, and site design and funding, according to the goals of their project.
In addition, consulting services are available to agencies and localities
interested in alternative emergency shelter models, particularly the master
leasing of Apartments in the community at-large for use as shelter.
Conference Presentations
Beyond
Shelter's key initiatives are regularly presented at state and national
conferences and workshops. Some recent conferences in which Institute staff
have participated include: the National Alliance to End Homelessness' Annual
Conference on Ending Family Homelessness, Oakland, CA (February 2007); Toward
Understanding Homelessness: The 2007 National Symposium on Homelessness
Research, Washington, DC (March 2007); Washington State Coalition to End
Homelessness' 17th Annual Conference, Yakima, WA (May 2007); Colorado
Coalition for the Homeless' 20th Annual Conference on Homelessness, Denver, CO
(May 2007); National Alliance to End Homelessness' Annual Conference,
Washington, DC (July 2007); Homeward's Conference, "Regional Best Practices to
Prevent and End Homelessness", Richmond, VA (September 2007); National
Alliance to End Homelessness' National Conference on Ending Family
Homelessness, Seattle, WA (February 2008); National Network of Social Work
Managers' Annual Institute, Los Angeles, CA (April 2008); the National
Alliance to End Homelessness' Annual Conference, Washington, DC (July 2008);
San Bernardino County Office of Homeless Services' Homeless Summit, "One Step
Closer to Home," Rialto, CA (November 2008); and National Alliance to End
Homelessness' National Conference on Ending Family Homelessness, San Diego, CA
(February 2009).
Publications
Beyond
Shelter's publications provide in-depth information on our key
initiatives. Presented in curriculum and manual formats, these publications represent a useful resource for housing developers, social services
providers and public and private organizations addressing poverty, homelessness and welfare
dependency.
The Institute Hotline
Beyond Shelter's Institute staff are available 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (PST), Monday through Friday, to respond to
general inquiries and questions regarding service provision for high-risk families and other residents of low-income communities.
To contact us, please call the Institute at (213) 252-0772, or e-mail us.
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