PEI

Operator of Charlottetown's Community Outreach Centre eyes move to a bigger space

It's been a year and a half since the the Community Outreach Centre in Charlottetown opened at its current location in the former Charlottetown Curling Club on Euston Street. Roxanne Carter-Thompson, the Adventure Group's executive director, says the client load has been increasing.

Need is greater and 'different than when they first started out two years ago'

An exterior picture of the Community Outreach Centre on Euston Street in Charlottetown.
The Adventure Group, which runs the Community Outreach Centre in Charlottetown, wants to work more closely with the province's shelter system to provide 24-hour care for people experiencing homelessness. (Shane Ross/CBC)

Growing demand at the Community Outreach Centre in Charlottetown has its managers looking for a bigger space.

It's been a year and a half since the provincially-funded centre opened at its current location in the former Charlottetown Curling Club on Euston Street. That's the fourth location for the centre since it first opened in January 2020, at 211 Euston St.

The Adventure Group took over the centre's operation from the Salvation Army in April.

Roxanne Carter-Thompson, executive director of the Adventure Group, said the client load has been increasing — from about 15 in the beginning to 258 in November — which she says represents a facility at capacity. 

Woman sitting inside the Community Outreach Centre in Charlottetown is The Adventure Group's executive director Roxanne Carter-Thompson.
Roxanne Carter-Thompson, executive director of the Adventure Group, says clients can end up overstimulated when the centre gets too full, and that it's time to relocate due to the increased demand. (Kerry Campbell/CBC)

"We're running out of space upstairs," she said in an interview from the centre's new basement classroom space.

"It gets really full, and when it gets too full, it just overstimulates our guests, and they really need to have a space where there's some quiet." 

On top of that, she said, "the needs are different than when they first started out two years ago."

To that end, the Adventure Group has submitted a proposal to the province for a new three-year-contract to run the outreach centre. It wants funding for more staff, perhaps including a full-time teacher, nurse and custodian.

Carter-Thompson said discussions on a new location are taking place outside the group's latest contract proposal, though.

Hopes for provincial partnership

Carter-Thompson wants to work more closely with the province's shelter system, including the new modular units providing emergency overnight shelter at Park Street in Charlottetown.

Ideally, she said a new outreach centre would be located right next to those units, perhaps in one of the provincially-owned buildings next to the site. 

She says that would provide 24-hour care for those experiencing homelessness, something people in the community have been calling for.

Park Street units
Carter-Thompson says relocating the centre is not in its latest proposal, but she is open to discussions with the province about moving it closer to the emergency overnight shelters. (Shane Hennessey/CBC)

At the moment, clients have to leave at 8 a.m. each day, because it's not intended to provide all-day shelter. 

A shuttle has been taking people back and forth from outreach centre to the Park Street modular units each day and night.

Push for 24-hour care

Carter-Thompson said it would make sense to move the outreach centre closer to the shelter units.

She said that would let the Adventure Group offer services to people whenever they need it.

"Especially in the winter months, it would be much easier for people to travel. They wouldn't have to take a shuttle. What happens if the shuttles can't run? Then imagine if they could just walk out their door and the Community Outreach Centre was right there." 

She'd also like the province to fund more staff positions so that the outreach centre can help more people develop skills they need to live independently.

They're offering "life skills, GED, education, recovery meetings, to support them and align with what they're doing at Park Street … to support people to move forward," said Carter-Thompson.

'Back on my feet again'

One of those people is Andrew Morrison, who has been studying for his GED at the outreach centre.

He started abusing drugs in high school and never graduated, but he's been clean for four months now. 

"I got kicked out of high school when I was 17, and I faced a lot of trauma and stuff like that, and just bullying," he said. "It's good to get back on my feet again."

Andrew Morrison sits inside the outreach centre to talk about the help he's received, including resources to study for his GED.
Andrew Morrison says he's received resources from the outreach centre that have helped him get back on his feet. (Kerry Campbell/CBC)

Morrison has been living in shelters and on the streets. He has a part-time job but wants more work.

On Monday, he found out he's been accepted into a transitional housing program.

"It's a good step to get a place. I never had a place for over a year, so it's definitely amazing. It's an amazing feeling." 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kerry Campbell

Provincial Affairs Reporter

Kerry Campbell is the provincial affairs reporter for CBC P.E.I., covering politics and the provincial legislature. He can be reached at: kerry.campbell@cbc.ca.