The last day of the 2023 Sanctum Survivor 36-Hour Challenge in Saskatoon is coming to a close.
Mayor Charlie Clark and nine other community leaders experienced challenges related to homelessness and chronic disease as part of the event.
Each participant was given tasks to complete that demonstrate challenges that many people in society might be unaware of but could be an everyday reality for the homeless population.
Sanctum Care Group puts on the event, noting participants won’t know if they have access to shelter overnight, or if they will be sleeping outside.
The only personal item participants have access to is their cellphone, which is meant to update the public on their journey.
“We acknowledge that the 36-hour homelessness challenge by no means accurately depicts the numerous barriers and complex issues faced by people who survive the daily hardships of living in homelessness. This event attempts to shed light on these issues by drawing awareness through the voices of those participating in the 36-hour challenge,” says executive director of Sanctum Care Group Katelyn Roberts.
“The carefully thought-out challenges are designed in consultation with individuals who have lived experience and front-line workers in an attempt to demonstrate the immense struggles experienced by this population. The challenge creates awareness of the dozens of community-based organizations who support our city’s most vulnerable populations.”
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Chris Guerette with the Saskatchewan Realtors Association is taking part in the event and said the whole thing has been an eye-opening learning experience.
“I have a lot to learn, that I knew. But I think it was just profoundly obvious I have so much more to learn than I thought,” Guerette said.
She said it was her first year taking part in this experience.
Guerette said the community is so warm and welcoming.
“That’s been a very heartwarming lesson for me.”
She recognized that she needed to do more as well. Being in the housing industry, she said she can help play a role.
“I think I have a responsibility to see what barriers I can remove. I can’t solve everything, but I can certainly, one piece at a time, play a role.”
She said her learning journey has just begun.
“We’ve done a tremendous amount of listening over the last 24 hours.”
Clark said this experience has made him look at the city in a new way.
One of the tasks given to Clark involved collecting bottles.
“It helps in a small way appreciate what people who are living on the streets, the perspective they have on the city,” Clark said.
He said every person has a story, but said it’s easy to ignore others.
Clark said he learned that the barriers for people struggling with homelessness and addictions to getting assistance and finding housing are huge.
“And they don’t have to be as huge, so we really need to fix the way, and streamline the process that people have to get ID.”
He said there are portions of the community where housing is not enough, saying these people need a community of support.
“So you have to create housing with the right supports in place in order to start a different path.”
Clark said no person on their own can rebuild their life without having a community of support that can be with them on that journey.
Saskatoon Riversdale MLA Marv Friesen also took part, saying he was fortunate to have housing Thursday night, but noted that wasn’t the case for everyone.
“What happens if there is no facility that night?”
Friesen said it doesn’t stop there, noting the struggle to get services begins the very next day.
One of the tasks given to him was to do laundry. He said they had to panhandle and recycle bottles just for that.
“We want to take information that we’ve learned here, have some discussions, and learn how we can improve on some things.”
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