SPOKANE, Wash. — The City of Spokane is preparing volunteers for its annual Point in Time Count, a federally-mandated survey that will provide crucial data needed to secure resources for the homeless population.
Volunteers gathered at Spokane’s Central Library for a training session to prepare for the week-long count, which will take place across Spokane County from January 27 through February 2.
The survey uses a mobile phone app to collect data about people experiencing homelessness. Jon Klapp with the City of Spokane’s Community, Housing and Human Services Department led these training sessions, introducing volunteers to the technology and survey methods.
“There’s certain questions we have to ask. But we also have local discretion to ask other questions. And the bodies that we have that influence are those community stakeholders that we engage with in September to now in time frame we go through,” Klapp said.
Volunteers will ask people they encounter questions about where they’re living, where they’re from and about any health conditions. The training emphasized the importance of conducting surveys both accurately and respectfully.
The volunteers come from various backgrounds. Some work with the homeless population in their daily jobs, while others are motivated by a desire to help their community.
Sidney Posy, who studies social work at Eastern Washington University, said she has a particular interest in housing and homelessness issues.
“I’m a student. I have a particular interest in housing and homelessness,” Posy said. “I’ve used the point in time count in my classes for my essays, things like that. But then also just in talking to other people in the community.”
Betsy Wynne, a pastor at a downtown church, represents volunteers who want to find ways to support their neighbors.
“I’m a pastor at one of the churches downtown and we have a particular concern to see how we can best support people,” Wynne said.
The turnout at the training session encouraged volunteers like Wynne.
“It just is another reminder that there are a lot of people who care about our neighbors and want to help and want to support and are trying to figure out ways to do that,” she said.
Volunteers had the opportunity to sign up for shifts following the training session.
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