RESEARCH ASSISTANTS – Quebec Homelessness Prevention Policy Collaborative Initiative

Homelessness has become a significant social challenge in the province of Quebec, as in many other jurisdictions. The McGill Institute for Health and Social Policy (IHSP) and the Old Brewery Mission (OBM) have come together to form the Quebec Homelessness Prevention Policy Collaborative (Q-HPPC) in order to offer evidence-based policy options to the Quebec government, provincial government departments and agencies, and other relevant individuals, representatives, institutions and organizations in the province on the best ways to prevent homelessness in Quebec.

The IHSP is looking for two research assistants (RAs) to support the work of two Q-HPPC working groups. The first RA position is with the Gender Working Group. This group has developed a research proposal on potential legal reforms in Quebec to prevent homelessness, with a focus on women fleeing situations of conjugal violence. Their draft work product was completed in the latter half of 2021. For the next phase of the project, starting in January 2022, the gender group is looking for a student research assistant to review and update the draft paper to reflect a community-based perspective on the utility of and experience with the proposed legal mechanisms. The RA will then support the group in workshopping the research paper with the other research streams in the Collaborative at the end of January, with a view to preparing an advance draft research paper for a February Q-HPPC conference. Preference will be given to upper-year law students or law graduate students with excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. The second RA position is with the Immigrant Working Group. This position will involve updating an existing scan of the literature, policy, legislation, and community-based initiatives related to homelessness prevention among immigrant and refugee populations. It may also involve the writing of a policy and/or research brief on the latest evidence and recommendations for policy and practice change. Preference will be given to graduate students with excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Understanding of written and spoken French is an asset.

The two RAs will work closely with and be supervised by, McGill faculty members leading the Gender and Immigrant working groups and the IHSP"s Strategic Lead for Partnerships and Knowledge Exchange. The work can be done virtually, no need for in-person work.