Connecting social service worker students with social housing residents

Niagara Regional Housing (NRH) reached out to Dr. Gina Agarwal and VIP Research Lab early in the pandemic (summer 2020) to assist them with a project on connecting social service worker students with social housing residents. Building on their existing partnership, VIP Research Lab provided research guidance and hosted the data collection. The project examined residents’ access to primary care and other health-related resources, and social connectivity during the first wave of the pandemic. Nearly one in five people contacted felt isolated and most lived alone. The results of the project were collated into a report for NRH. This project highlights the ongoing collaboration that VIP Research Lab has developed and maintained over the years with multiple community partners and housing organizations across Ontario, Canada.