Managing transitional housing and shelters can be incredibly challenging. You must take care of several people who may have faced sexual, physical, emotional, financial, and spiritual mistreatment as they live under one roof.
You must also manage caseworkers, caregivers, volunteers, donors, and other key players that help your non-profit function.
While it all can sometimes seem overwhelming, with some special management tools and holistic practices, you can overcome some of the challenges a little more easily. Here are some tips that can help with the management process:
#1 Use Excellent Software
Tracking data for everyone, from residents to volunteers, can be time-consuming, especially when you must deal with inefficient spreadsheets.
Try the best transitional housing and shelter service software that helps you effortlessly manage sensitive information, follow services and statuses, and report on essential metrics so you can respond more efficiently. With the right tools, you can:
- Deliver personalized care by tracking detailed resident information along with services and programs.
- Streamline service delivery by managing referrals, intakes, needs assessments, staff involvement, and much more.
- Improve your impact by leveraging outcome-based reporting to track critical metrics on resident status, rooms in use, etc.
Thankfully, the software by Sumac CRM is user-friendly and ready-to-use, pre-configured with 80% of the essential data and workflow needs of transitional housing and shelters. The remaining 20% can be configured to suit your individual workflow and data requirements.
Finally, it’s also quite secure. You can manage privileges to ensure only the right people access client data in a solution that’s PIPEDA and HIPAA compliant.
#2 Take Care of Yourself
Helping at-risk people every day can be stressful, and it’s easy to forget yourself while managing transitional housing and shelters. Take time out for self-care. Set time aside for the following activities:
- Mindfulness or meditation
- Healthy meals
- Drinking water
- Good night’s sleep
- Physical activity like a walk
- A shower or a bath
- Sitting in the sunlight
- A cup of tea or coffee
- Reading a book or listening to a podcast
- Therapy
#3 Set the Right Boundaries
Develop healthy relationships with your clients. Please empathize but also set the right boundaries to shield your own triggers. Protect your physical and emotional well-being when you need to. Work with other members of your team to switch roles when necessary.
#4 Keep Learning
The people in your shelter all have had unique lived experiences. They may have lived through violence, emotional abuse, substance abuse, debts, poor family support, and more. They may clash with each other due to different expectations of space, cleanliness, and social boundaries.
Encouraging them to feel empowered, respected, and valued in a safe, calm, and balanced space will help. See yourself as a shared learner instead of a controller to help those around you.
#5 Invite Alternative Therapists
People in charge of transitional housing and shelters are inviting alternative mental health practitioners like art therapists, music therapists, and even pet therapists to help individuals and families. These are all legitimate forms of psychotherapy that enhance self-exploration, healing, and understanding in unique and sometimes fun ways.
These are five tips that may help you manage transitional housing and shelters. With the right tools and practices, you can meet some unique and complex challenges more easily.
