Call for 2025 Homeless Count volunteers in Greater Vancouver (March 10-11):
Homeless counts have taken place in Metro Vancouver every three years since 2002. They provide critical information on the number and characteristics of our region’s population who are experiencing homelessness and how this population has changed over time.
The 2025 Homeless Count in Metro Vancouver is an initiative of the Reaching Home Community Entity; Lu’ma Native Housing Society, and Community Advisory Board (CAB). The Homeless Count is delivered in partnership with the Indigenous Reaching Home Community Entity, the Indigenous Homelessness Steering Committee, the Council of Community Homelessness Tables, and is conducted by the Homelessness Services Association of BC.
The HSABC team is recruiting volunteer Interviewers for the 2025 Homeless Count in Greater Vancouver. The Count will occur throughout the region. We’re looking for Surrey and Vancouver volunteers currently:
- Monday March 10th, 2025, evening: inside shelters
- Tuesday March 11th, 2025, daytime: on streets
By volunteering for the Count, you are helping to gather valuable information used by governments, service providers, community groups, and funders, to deliver appropriate programs to address homelessness and measure progress in between regional Counts over the past years.
What’s involved
The Homeless Count involves identifying and conducting a brief anonymous survey with people experiencing homelessness. The street survey typically involves walking, biking or driving around a neighbourhood looking for individuals to survey. The shelter survey is conducted in various shelters across the region.
Volunteers will work in teams of 2 and must be 19 years of age or older. Your volunteer time commitment will include:
- event-day 5–7-hour shifts (March 10 or 11)
- mandatory 2-hour training session (between February 20- March 9)
Ideal volunteers
To ensure a proper implementation of the Count, we are looking for volunteers who ideally have:
- compassion, acceptance, and comfort with one-on-one conversations with people on the street;
- experience with previous homeless counts or professional/volunteer experience working with people experiencing homelessness;
- a non-judgmental attitude and a good sense of humour.
If you have questions about this form or your information, please email Volunteers@HSA-BC.ca