The Mustard Seed Model, Victoria City
Title: The Mustard Seed Model, Victoria City, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
This journal entry of mine was written in November 2014.
Recently in November 2014 The Mustard Seed closed their drop in center in Victoria City. This closure has resulted in marginalized individuals exodusing to the Our Place Society on Pandora Avenue. I witnessed this exodus because I go to the drop in center at Our Place Society (OPS) to conduct Visual Connection Mapping which is a communication device whereby I listen to an individual’s story and draw a picture. I find it is a very ingenious phenomenon – that is – to close one of the two Victoria City drop in center whereby creating a full-on monopoly position for Our Place Society. In one month Our Place Society has increased their service load with no extra government funding to sustain them. To me, the closure of the Mustard Seed drop in center represents a new Victoria City model of care and that is to decrease quality and increase efficiency – but what about the possible detriment the closure brings to the Victoria City community? This is what I call The Mustard Seed Model.
Who is measuring the possible negative effects that the closure of the Mustard Seed drop in center can have on the already fragile strain a marginalized individual experiences?
Will the strain result in an added stressor?
Is this really the most effective way to contribute to solving homelessness in Victoria City?
My recommendation would be to first evaluate what the effects would be to both the community and to the individual before making an adhoc management and / or Board decision instigating the closure of the Mustard Seed drop in center in Victoria City, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
anuvdp 