2.4 Prevalence of Compassion Fatigue
Prevalence of Compassion Fatigue in Canada (2025).
Image Description
Title: Compassion Fatigue: Prevalence of Compassion Fatigue in the Homeless Work Sector
Main Text: Approximately 235,000 people experience homelessness in Canada each year. There are only 6,000 employees in the homeless service sector. Due to systems trauma, these workers are at higher risk of compassion fatigue (Kerman et al., 2022).
Burnout Rates: A donut chart shows that 23% of homeless sector workers experience burnout. A study in Edmonton, AB (Schiff & Lane, 2016) reported 23% burnout. A second study found 24% experienced compassion fatigue (Wirth et al., 2019).
Gender Demographics (Left Panel): An icon shows 3 out of 4 figures shaded teal. 3 in 4 homeless sector workers were female in 2021 (McNamee et al., 2023). Women are more likely to experience compassion fatigue (McGrath, Matthews & Heard, 2022).
Worker Distribution by Province (Middle Panel): Bar graph shows the number of workers in each province in 2021. Ontario has the largest volume of homeless sector workers (McNamee et al., 2023).
Inexperienced Workforce (Center Text Box): Only 11.7% of workers surveyed had 10+ years’ experience. Suggests high turnover or lack of training contributes to compassion fatigue (Waegemakers Schiff & Lane, 2019).
Related Statistics (Left Text Box): 61% increase in homeless sector workers from 2016 to 2021 (McNamee et al., 2023). 71.7% of workers are in large urban centers. In London, Ontario, there were approximately 155 workers in 2021.
Indigenous Representation (Right Panel): Visual of 10 tents, with 1 tent shaded red. 1 in 10 homeless sector workers are Indigenous (McNamee et al., 2023).
Conclusion (Bottom Right): 24% of workers surveyed reported compassion fatigue. 20% felt decreased compassion satisfaction (Waegemakers Schiff & Lane, 2019).
This infographic uses pastel visuals, icons, and highlighted statistics to communicate the emotional toll and workforce challenges in Canada’s homeless sector.
