Our Research Vision
We build knowledge and understanding about homelessness in the community through our research.
Our approach to research is based on two principles: applied research and agile analytics.
Applied Research
Every piece of research we do has a real, practical effect on people experiencing homelessness in Calgary, and the agencies that serve them as part of Calgary’s homeless-serving system of care.
In the past, we prioritized academic research. But this approach was too slow: by the time results were published, the homeless-serving system of care had changed, preventing us and our partner agencies from using the research in any meaningful way.
While we continue to pursue academic research through strategic partnerships, we now focus on applied research.
Applied research produces results that shape our decision-making in real time, ensuring that we can help people experiencing homelessness obtain the supports they need, when they need it.
Check out How We Use Research to understand how our applied research makes a real difference in people’s lives.
Agile Analytics
We have the richest database on homelessness in Canada. Our data, captured in real time, tells us which individuals need help and what programs are improving their quality of life.
But our aim is not just to collect data. We want to be able to react quickly to new data trends as they present themselves, so we can provide the most appropriate and timely help.
Agile analytics is an approach to data that achieves these aims. It uses intelligent tools to inform our strategies for guiding the fight against homelessness.
These tools include metrics that monitor the effectiveness of the homeless-serving system of care, as well as tools that automate data analysis, so we can make evidence-based decisions quickly.
Agile analytics therefore keeps us open to new discoveries about our clients and the sector and helps us to respond swiftly to those findings.
How Research and Data Inform Our Work
Our research vision ensures we can see the bigger picture on the fight against homelessness in Calgary. We understand how the homeless-serving system of care is working and can identify ways to distribute resources to achieve highest impact and outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.
Our research vision is also collaborative in nature, which means when we conduct research or collect data, we do so with the aim of spreading that knowledge with our partners in community so everyone can do their part in the fight against homelessness.
