In addition to this premise we understand all who sit on the MSSAC have been invited to sit on the committee because they are recognized as an asset to our community.  Each person on the committee brings life experience, expertise, commitment, and perspectives that are valuable to the committee’s work.  It is also understood that our work as a committee will require the insight, accountability, and guidance from those who have experienced homelessness and/or have benefited from supportive housing.  Many social service boards and advisory groups request the participation of persons who have accessed their services.  Few such boards and committees establish a system that adequately respects, encourages, and fully utilizes the contributions, talents, and recommendations of persons who have experienced homelessness.

The MSSAC recognizes that there are common barriers that often contribute to the inability of boards/committees to successfully involve persons who have experienced homelessness in their work.  The barriers are twofold.  People who have recently experienced homelessness often face some, but not necessarily any or all, of the following unique barriers in their participation. 

• Limited prior experience of board/committee work
• With limited or no experience with board/committee work, it is difficult to know how to constructively and appropriately contribute to discussion.
• Childcare, transportation, time, and financial barriers that make it difficult to adhere to meeting schedules.
• While most professionals, providers, and advocates attend meetings on “paid time”, most people who have experienced homelessness are not paid or encouraged by their employers to attend.
• Limited previous experience to challenge the opinions of “professionals” on the committee.
• Limited in ability to fully focus their time and energy on committee work while dealing with significant day-to-day stresses and changes.

Likewise, committee members who have NOT experienced homelessness often face the following barriers in their participation. 

• A tendency to use social service provider lingo and acronyms which prevent people not involved in policy or delivery of services from understanding the issues.
• A tendency to allow a few “leaders in the community” to dominate committee discussion.  A lack of sensitivity to ensure that all committee members are able to share their perspectives.
• Discomfort and limited experience in working with people who are poor and/or homeless.
• Impatience, limited interest, and at times a lack of respect for the perspectives of individuals who have experienced homelessness.
• Limited cultural competency.

Holding these common barriers in mind, the MSSAC has established Partner Relationships to help ensure productive and positive participation in the committee.  Partners are pairings of a member of the committee who has recently experienced homeless with someone on the committee who has NOT experienced homelessness.  Neither member is seen as the leader or mentor of the other.  Both Partners are charged with the responsibility of communicating with one another and supporting each other to ensure the committee is accessing the perspective of people who have been homeless.

Partners are asked to commit to the following tasks:

• Ensure each other is aware of recent news, upcoming meetings, and has transportation/directions to next meeting.
• Some who are in supportive housing may not have email.  Thus it is important that those with email keep in touch with anyone who does not. 
• Sit near each other to ensure that process/clarification questions which might arise during the meeting can be addressed.
• Meet with each other following each meeting to take the time needed to debrief. 
• Talk about what went well, what didn’t
• Give each other constructive criticism on each other’s participation in the meeting
• Talk about remaining questions, frustrations, and areas of satisfaction.
• Forward any concerns/recommendations to MESH and the co-chairs to ensure they are being addressed adequately and on a timely basis.

It is our request that this Partner relationship be maintained through out this first year, after which we would expect a review and re-evaluation of the need for continuing/amending role in the Partner relationship.