At Home in Highlands

Enriching by Welcoming: For almost a decade, neighbours have come together with a shared vision. With dedication, hundreds of hours of time spent, and an altruistic drive, these neighbours have consistently shown up to connect and welcome. “We’re neighbouring with people who’s future’s we can enhance,” states one of the driving forces behind the At Home in Highlands initiative. The work continues.

The Vision is a neighbourhood that:

• values inclusivity, diversity and hospitality
• becomes more inclusive, diverse and hospitable by welcoming all, including those overcoming and emerging out of challenging life circumstances
• in turn, thrives, grows stronger, more resilient, more connected and more self-sufficient

Sustained recovery from challenging life circumstances, including addiction and/or homelessness, often relies on stable housing and connectedness with neighbours and the community at large. At Home in Highlands works to provide both and believes that all people are intrinsically valuable with gifts, skills and abilities to offer a community.

For landlords …

We establish relationships with landlords of local rental properties who align with the vision of At Home in Highlands. We facilitate introductions and explore tenancy possibilities. We offer support to landlords and the landlord-tenant relationship. Landlords benefit by:

• making a difference in the life of their tenant
• learning through the story and experiences of their tenant
• becoming more connected in the neighbourhood through their relationship with At Home in Highlands
• enjoying the support of an engaged community

For new neighbours…

We offer relationship through regular connection and support, and through invitation to attend or participate in local events, groups and happenings. We connect new neighbours to helpful supports and services local to the neighbourhood. We consider opportunities for new neighbours to share their gifts, skills, abilities and life experiences for the benefit of other neighbours. If helpful, we explore possibilities for light work in the neighbourhood. New neighbours benefit through:

• stable housing
• regular contact and connection with neighbours
• a sense of belonging in the neighbourhood
• local supports and services when helpful
• opportunities to contribute to the neighbourhood

For Highlands …

We invite neighbours throughout the community to join a network of support and connection that, ultimately, leads to a more connected, more resilient, more vibrant neighbourhood. From roaming potluck dinners, to engaging the resourcefulness local to Highlands, natural supports grow for our new neighbours and our neighbourhood is enriched. Highlands benefits by:

• sharing the responsibility to support those emerging out of challenging life circumstances
• becoming more inclusive and diverse
• gaining the resourcefulness and life experiences of our new neighbours
• becoming more connected, more resilient due to the connection that occurs through the initiative

At Home in Highlands appreciates the well established work of Abundant Community Edmonton (ACE) in our neighbourhood and acknowledges the great synergy between these two initiatives. New neighbours supported by At Home is Highlands will naturally participate in ACE to connect them with neighbours on their block and others throughout the neighbourhood with common interests.

If you are a person interested in moving into Highlands with the support of At Home in Highlands, if you are a landlord interested in offering your rental property, or if you’re interested in supporting the initiative in other ways, please be in touch. We’d be pleased to hear from you.

Work in Progress

At Home in Highlands is busily working on a Community Safety & Well-Being project alongside ongoing conversations with neighbours, social agencies, and landlords. Please click below to learn more.