National Network to End Domestic Violence: Co-location/Co-working to Increase Access for Survivors

Thursday, April 1, 2021
12:30 pm2:00 pm

Co-Location Webinar Series
April 1st and 8th, 9:30 – 11:00 AM PT/ 12:30 – 2 PM ET
In a 2017 national safe housing needs assessment, 14% of DV/SA organization respondents of 16% of culturally specific respondents reported that their organizations had staff co-located at one or more homeless/housing organizations. While this model was used by a relatively small number of programs, its impact was large, with 77% of DV/SA organizations and 76% of culturally specific respondents reporting that the practice assisted survivors with their housing needs.

These two webinars will each spotlight a trio of programs whose projects provide working examples of the value of co-location (or "co-working," within the pandemic-necessitated virtual context), including how they facilitate safe housing outcomes for survivors.

Webinar 1: Co-location/Co-working to Increase Access for Survivors
Co-location of DV/SA advocates in various settings can deepen cross-system relationships, provide ready support to survivors navigating those systems, and create multiple opportunities for cross-training and systemic change. An advocacy presence can impact practices to enhance survivor safety, cultivate a deeper understanding of DV/SA dynamics, trauma, and racial inequities, and can often bring the critical issue of safe housing to the forefront. This webinar will explore what makes for successful co-location/coworking partnerships, including bridging cultural differences across fields, addressing confidentiality considerations, and ensuring clear delineation of roles while working onsite together. Panelists will also provide insight to how such partnerships can be structured, how they improve survivors' experiences, increase racial and gender equity, and how they can contribute to survivors' access to safe housing options.