Calgary Homeless Foundation is launching a new pilot program called Liftoff. This program is designed to help people living in supportive housing find steady, living wage employment and take the next step toward independence.
Why Liftoff matters
Many people in supportive housing reach a point where:
- Their housing is stable
- Their health has improved
- They need less day-to-day support
But there is still one major barrier: income.
Without enough income, it can be hard to move forward into independent housing. This means people stay in supportive housing longer than they need to, not because they are not ready, but because they cannot afford to leave. At the same time, others who need housing are waiting for a space to open up. Thus, creating a bottleneck in the system.
Liftoff was created to help solve this problem.
What Liftoff does
Liftoff focuses on people in supportive housing who are ready, or almost ready, to work.
The program helps by:
- Building job skills and confidence
- Connecting participants with employers who pay a living wage
- Providing training, like First Aid or workplace safety certifications
- Offering ongoing support to help people succeed and keep their jobs
Participants will also receive support from staff with lived experience, who understand the challenges and can help guide them along the way.
Collaboration with employers and community
Liftoff is delivered in partnership with community organizations, including Alpha House, which will support participants day-to-day with job readiness training. Simultaneously, CHF is working with employers, especially in fields like construction and manufacturing to connect people to living wage job opportunities.
Creating new opportunities
CHF estimates that about 15% of people in supportive housing could move on if they had enough income. With the right support, even more people could be ready for work.
By helping people find stable employment, Liftoff supports individuals towards independence, opens supportive housing spaces for others who need them while strengthening Calgary’s overall response to homelessness.
Looking ahead
Liftoff is starting as a pilot program, funded by the Government of Alberta. Learnings from this pilot phase will help improve and expand the program over time.
We are proud to be working with partners and employers to create new pathways to opportunity, because everyone deserves the chance to work, grow, and move forward. We are grateful to the Government of Alberta for their steadfast commitment and support that has made this program possible.
From barriers to careers, Liftoff is helping people take the next step.
