Sustainable Living: Toronto’s Homelessness Crisis

Juha Kaakinen, Cheyanne Ratnam, Emily Wright and Kaitlin Schwan

7:30pm

Friday, October 22

Authors and experts in candid, live conversation reflect on the topics that matter most during this unprecedented time. Moderated by Director of Research at The Shift, Kaitlin Schwan, this panel discussion will delve into the many complexities and conditions that have led to Toronto’s homelessness crisis. Panelists Juha Kaakinen, Cheyanne Ratnam and Emily Wright will examine the ways in which current strategies for addressing homelessness especially fail to serve youth. From aging out of the care system unprepared, to inter-generational trauma, the panelists will discuss best practices for eradicating homelessness in Toronto and on an international scale. Tune in each day of the Festival to hear new speakers in critical conversation about the topics shaping today’s world.

English captioning is available for this video. Please click the ‘CC’ button in the video toolbar to turn it on.

Proudly supported by
Harriet Lewis and Eldon Bennett
Andrew and Valerie Pringle

Panel Discussion

Authors and experts in candid, live conversation reflect on the topics that matter most during this unprecedented time. Moderated by Director of Research at The Shift, Kaitlin Schwan, this panel discussion will delve into the many complexities and conditions that have led to Toronto’s homelessness crisis. Panelists Juha Kaakinen, Cheyanne Ratnam and Emily Wright will examine the ways in which current strategies for addressing homelessness especially fail to serve youth. From aging out of the care system unprepared, to inter-generational trauma, the panelists will discuss best practices for eradicating homelessness in Toronto and on an international scale. Tune in each day of the Festival to hear new speakers in critical conversation about the topics shaping today’s world.

English captioning is available for this video. Please click the ‘CC’ button in the video toolbar to turn it on.

Proudly supported by
Harriet Lewis and Eldon Bennett
Andrew and Valerie Pringle

Panel Discussion

Featured Authors

Juha Kaakinen is an experienced and passionate developer of innovative housing solutions to homeless people and social housing. He is Chief Executive of Y-Foundation, the biggest Finnish NGO providing housing for homeless people and social housing with a housing stock of 17 000 flats. Before, he has worked in public administration of the City of Helsinki and as a CEO of Social Development Ltd, a company devoted to developing social and health services for cities and municipalities. He has also worked as a programme leader of a national programme to end long-term homelessness, and as a researcher and a consultant. He is internationally known as an advocate of Housing First policy.

Read more about Juha Kaakinen

Cheyanne Ratnam

Cheyanne Ratnam is passionate about equity, developing inclusive and accessible spaces and processes, and social innovation. As a social entrepreneur she has dedicated much of her time and expertise in child welfare, homelessness and interconnected systems through founding and leading various projects and immersing herself in community mobilization and amplification – from micro – systemic levels.  She is the Co-founder and CEO of the Ontario Children's Advancement Coalition and occupies many roles through her community involvement such as committees, boards and advisory roles. Cheyanne is also an independent consultant and engagement specialist, public speaker and mentor.

Read more about Cheyanne Ratnam

Emily Wright is a powerful educator, advocate and public speaker. She is a member of two speaker’s bureaus and is a regular guest lecturer at various schools across the GTA. With a special ability to speak to people of all ages, Emily tries to make a difference in the world by using her personal voice and story to confront stigma and create awareness on important topics such as homelessness, bullying, mental health and addiction. Emily Wright has a master’s degree in Teaching and currently works as a curriculum consultant, speaker and elementary school teacher.

Read more about Emily Wright

Dr. Kaitlin Schwan is Director of Research for The Shift, an international movement to secure the right to housing. She is a Senior Researcher at the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and teaches social policy at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Social Work, where she is appointed Assistant Professor, Status Only. She also co-leads the Women’s National Housing and Homelessness Network. Kaitlin’s research focuses on homelessness prevention and human rights, particularly for women and youth. Kaitlin uses research to build bridges between evidence, advocacy, policy and lived expertise to advance housing justice.

Read more about Kaitlin Schwan