ABOUT THE STUDY

Where can I get access to study documents or other findings related to the New Leaf project?

For further details about study design and findings, please read our Impact Report. The full peer-reviewed paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences can be found here.

What were the results for different demographics?

We will be carrying out some analysis on specific demographics, however analysis will only be exploratory at this point due to the small sample size of our pilot. We encourage you to stay up to date with our website to follow any updated results or findings around demographic breakdown.

Did participants in the New Leaf project receive any other supports during the study?

All participants received a resource booklet which listed resources available to people who are homeless in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. All participants were offered a free chequing account with Vancity including ID replacement if needed. Some participants completed a series of workshops involving the development of a personal plan and self-affirmation exercises. Select participants were also offered coaching for a period of six months to support them in developing life skills and strategies. You can read more details about our pilot project in our Impact Report.

How did you decide who was eligible to participate in the study and how did you find people to participate?

We partnered with a number of shelters in the Lower Mainland to identify potential participants. Project participants were carefully screened for program eligibility to ensure the highest likelihood of success. Eligibility criteria include: age of recipients, length of time homeless, Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and degree of functionality (mental health and severity of substance and alcohol use). Our goals in designing these criteria were to support participants to the highest degree possible, assess their readiness for change, and reduce any risk of harm. For more details about the study design please see our Impact Report.

How do you know self-reports on spending were truthful? Could they be driven by social desirability effects?

Participants in both cash and non-cash groups were aware that they were being monitored so the social desirability effect was present in both groups and could not explain the difference between the groups. Participants had already received the cash before any follow-up interviews, and there were no more funds to be distributed in the future. We also made it clear that anything they say or do would not jeopardize their participation in our project. Thus, we believe their motivation to look good was minimal. We also obtained (with consent) bank statements from some participants which allowed us to check self-reports on spending with their bank statements. Largely, they were consistent. Cash recipients reported around $150 in expenses on alcohol, drugs and cigarettes at baseline and 1 month, around $160 at 3 months, $140 at 6 months, and $100 at 12 months. If they were motivated to conceal their spending on these goods, they would have given lower responses after the cash transfer. But instead, we saw slight fluctuations in their expense, which gave us more confidence that they were being honest in their responses. Finally, our interviewers built rapport with our participants and our approach was entirely based on trust. We have little reason to suspect a lack of trust between us and our participants.

Will you be running this program again?

We are passionate about expanding our work and are currently fundraising so we can launch our expansion project, which will allow us to increase the number of cash transfers we disburse.

Our expansion project will build upon lessons learned to further test and refine our approach before scaling to other cities across Canada. The results of this expansion project will fill an important knowledge gap and demonstrate how cash transfers can be a solution to reduce homelessness. Future projects will also allow us to test the impact of direct cash transfers with other populations.  You can read more about our plans for expansion in our Impact Report.

Where did the funding for the pilot project come from?

We applied for and received a federal government grant that was part of an existing granting program for innovation in homelessness. We also gratefully received funding from a range of sources including foundations and private donors. If you’re interested in being part of this bold and proven movement, support our cause and donate today.

How does this approach contribute to solving homelessness? 

Homelessness is a pervasive problem and there is no single solution that can be effective in all cases. The New Leaf project focuses on an important part of the population: those who have recently become homeless. The faster we can get them into housing, the better off they will be. Experiencing homelessness puts people at higher risk of becoming victims of violence, experiencing episodes of increased depression, misusing substances, and using more emergency social resources. Helping people who are recently homeless also reduces the pressure on the existing shelter system of care, allowing them to devote resources to people that need wrap around support. The New Leaf project shows that a direct cash transfer is a bold and innovative solution for people who have recently become homeless and provides solid evidence that a lump sum of money can provide a transformational difference.

What is the leadership structure at FSC?

FSC is led by a board of directors, a leadership team, a Lived Experience Advisory Panel (LEAP) and dedicated volunteers. The leadership team is composed of a CEO, COO and other staff members.