Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
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HIFIS Data Analysis Framework
Appendix 1
The Yellowknife Community Report: Creating Your Own Data Analysis Primer
Why follow the Yellowknife Community Report?
The background information included in the Yellowknife Community Report reflects a commitment of the HIFIS CC to reach beyond the regular HIFIS network of homelessness shelters and service providers in order to broaden participation and get involved in coalition work. The tables on shelter users, shelter use and patterns in shelter use, analyzed within a community context, help make sense of the data collected and identify trends.
Many questions raised during the analysis of data can only be answered by the stakeholders who share the knowledge of demographic, housing and income dynamics of the community. To paint a broader picture of homelessness, community data reports must be enriched by contextual information. These reports help strengthen the local accountability mechanisms of homelessness systems and services, and propose solutions in how to assist homeless people and those at risk of homelessness in moving to more stable housing, maintaining housing and being self-sufficient. They raise community awareness concerning the homeless population and show the impact that community efforts are having on the prevention and reduction of homelessness.
How can Community Coordinators get started on their own HIFIS data analysis primer?
As was the case for Yellowknife, HIFIS CCs and others in their community will work in partnership with the national HIFIS team to develop a detailed community report using the 10 mandatory fields to provide local information on shelter users, shelter use and patterns in shelter use. When conditions are in place at the community level, the national HIFIS team will use the Yellowknife Community Report as a step-by-step guide in analyzing the data from the 10 mandatory fields to assist HIFIS CCs in the production of their own HIFIS Community Report as a data analysis primer.
