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The request to council was simple, and to the point.
“To present and update Council and Community on the good work that is being done by PEOPLE in Penticton, via the sharps retrieval and outreach projects. Thank you in advance”
When Penticton City Council met for the first time in 2021 Tuesday afternoon, their first item to deal with was a presentation from Dhorea Ramanula, the executive director of PEOPLE in Penticton.
Paid Employment Opportunities for People with Lived Experience, or PEOPLE, is a social enterprise that provides training and mentorship for people with lived experiences so they can contribute to improving community well-being and social services for people seeking help.
According to Ramanula, the group was born through collaboration with the City of Kelowna, Lived Experience Circle of Homelessness in Kelowna ((LECoH), the Journey Home Society, and Urban Matters.
“We address stigma and discrimination by meeting people where they are at, cultivating an employment atmosphere that is welcoming to all of diverse backgrounds, including folks who have current or historical challenges such as homelessness, drug and alcohol misuse, and mental health issues,” offered Ramanula in her address to council. ”We offer something different, including inclusivity, mandatory weekly talks with a peer social work mentor, paid training and various life skills, healthy advocacy, and most of all, continued support.”
The group has hired staff to work in Penticton, with a website in development.
“They were trained to do sharps retrieval. We announced to the city and the community that we had arrived by handing out letters to businesses and residents sharing our story of what our goal for the community was. They were welcoming and applauded our efforts.”
Ramanula indicated the Compass Clean Team, as they’ve become known, goes out up to three times a week, walking more than a kilometer, and normally retrieving one to two bags of garbage and “ several sharps” each time.
The presence of sharps in the community has led to increased bylaw enforcement and action groups doing their part to keep the community safe.
“A Penticton administrator has created a Penticton Survival Guide, with input from the City and United Way, which is now being distributed locally as we speak,” said Rumanala. “It includes information on all the amazing social service agencies available in Penticton.”
PEOPLE recently dropped off backpacks donated by Staples and filled with essentials for the homeless in Penticton, Kelowna and West Kelowna.
“We have four other projects, ranging from peer navigators doing case management in motels, support workers in the winter shelter, outreach in West Kelowna, and our partnership with the City of Kelowna for the Queensway washrooms, which is now called the People’s Connect,” said Rumanala. “It’s a sea can with two full washrooms and a social enterprise kiosk that’s open daily from 8 am until 7 pm, with peer navigators on site who support a safe space for all, and provide inreach services.
“Since the opening in April, we have had over 19,000 visitors, even during COVID.”
Considering the recent vandalism to washrooms in Okanagan Lake Park, the People’s Connect idea piqued the interest of councillor Judy Sentes.
“I was particularly interested in your comment about helping with washroom space in Kelowna. That’s a particularly sensitive area for us here in Penticton, not only for our tourists, but our community members,” said Sentes. “The vandalism is horrific, and it results in them being closed, which is a tragedy for everyone. We have been investigating different ways, different partnerships, different strategies that might keep our washrooms safe and available.
“So, could you give us more information on what is happening in Kelowna and how we might explore the same here in our city.”
“What we’ve done there is something very unique. Obviously the city allowed us to do something unique,” responded Rumanala. “But I wanted to take it a step further and offer a safe space for all. We meet people where they’re at. We can refer you to a treatment centre or a shelter. We’ll give you maps and directions. We support a lot of folks. We’re a charging station for your phones. There are so many things offered there.
“The work being done there is instrumental. It’s saving and changing lives, and that’s really what we want to do.”
Rumanala then offered to connect City of Kelowna council and staff with Penticton city hall for a better understanding of the benefits of the People’s Connect.
“We appreciate all the work your group does in the Valley, including the City of Penticton,” summarized mayor John Vassilaki. “We really appreciate everything you and your group’s doing.”
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