2.2 How Does Compassion Fatigue Impact Those in the Homelessness Sector?
The Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) (n.d.) is an organization that prioritizes the safety and psychological well-being of those working in Canada. MHCC assists employers in creating a safe and healthy workplace. Encouraging the use of adequate resources to support their employees. The MHCC (n.d) reported that “seventy percent of Canadian employees are concerned about the psychological health and safety of their workplace, and 14 percent don’t think theirs is healthy or safe at all.”
In Canada, nonprofit organizations find themselves primarily responsible for providing services to those experiencing homelessness. Those working in these community organizations endure overwhelming circumstances, responding to an increasingly demanding environment. The issues of homelessness have become progressively more complex since the COVID-19 pandemic. Frontline workers are undergoing the effects of being accountable for caring for those experiencing homelessness, attempting to adequately connect individuals with essential services with limited resources.
Undergoing continuous exposure to navigating challenging environments with a lack of affordable housing and a lack of support for those with mental health and substance use concerns. Those in the homelessness workforce often work in this stressful, unpredictable environment with increased risk to health and a modest salary. Continually witnessing many of the most marginalized individuals enduring exceptionally difficult circumstances, sometimes leading to significant psychological, emotional and physical ramifications for those working in this sector, potentially impacting the way they assist others (MHCC, 2021).
