Steve Teekens: Addressing the needs of Indigenous Homeless Men: Na-Me-Res’ a continuum of Care

Seminar Overview

In Toronto, the last street needs assessment demonstrates that 15% of the overall population of the homeless is of Indigenous ancestry. Even more alarming the Outdoor homeless population was 24%.  Multiple housing barriers contribute to the disproportion of Indigenous people experiencing street life such as poverty, access, literacy weakness, discrimination, colonization, addictions, mental health, and intergenerational trauma of residential schools and sixties scoop.

Na-Me-Res is addressing the needs of Indigenous homeless men with many pathways of culturally based services.  This presentation will examine how the various services Na-Me-Res provides assist Indigenous men to heal from the effects of intergenerational trauma through integration of cultural programs and services. The Na-Me-Res continuum of care spans from street outreach, emergency shelter, transitional shelter, mental health and addiction supports and affordable housing.

Speaker

Steve Teekens is the Executive Director at Na-Me-Res (Native Men’s Residence) where he has worked since 2008. He has been working with the marginalized and homeless sector in Toronto since 1995. Steve is a member of Nipissing First Nation, has a master’s degree in public administration from Queen’s University. Steve is very active in Toronto’s Indigenous Community where he volunteers at Toronto Aboriginal Social Services Council (TASSC), Aboriginal Legal Services Community Council Program and Co-Chair for the Toronto Indigenous Community Advisory Board. Steve also teaches traditional drumming and to the youth and men at various Native organizations inside and outside of Toronto. Steve enjoys working and volunteering in the Indigenous Community and wishes to see people overcome their obstacles and find the resilience in themselves to succeed in life.