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In Focus | Jordan McAlpine of Inn From the Cold

In Focus is our gift to the community. A way for us to help show our recognition for the people, businesses and organizations that help make our city great. The team at KelownaNow.com is passionate about this community and the people that make it amazing. We want to show our friends, neighbours, family and colleagues that we notice them and the fabulous things that they do.

What is your name?
Jordan McAlpine

What do you always find yourself saying?
I am known for always singing. I often answer questions by sing-quoting popular songs, or narrating my own activities in song. Melodies come and go in cycles—but most recently I’ve been adapting everything to the Christmas favourite “Silver Bells” or “ Take a Chance on Me” by Abba.

If you could spend one whole day with anyone in the world who is currently alive, who would you select and why?
I would love to talk with Malala Yousafzai. I think it would be hard to spend a day with her and not leave inspired and empowered.

If you were to receive any existing public award, what award would you like to win?
Hopefully nothing too big, public speaking makes me really frightened—and you usually have to give a speech of some sort at those awards things!

If you could spend a day with any historical figure, who would you choose and why?
I would spend it with William Wilberforce, who was one of the leaders in the abolition of the slave trade in the 1700-1800s. He collaborated with a diverse team to advocate for the freedom of people who were considered the ‘lessers’ of society, dedicated many years to the cause. I would like to pick his brain about the whole process, about how to engage and build a diverse team, how to inspire others and maintain hope. How can we each, as individuals, look at our skills, knowledge, and sphere of influence, and use these to better the world around us?

Who inspires you?
I am continually inspired by the work done on the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver at Insite. In this field, we often talk about ‘meeting people where they are at’, but not all of us are actually willing to do that if it doesn’t meet our needs (ie. statistical requirements or simply inconvenient or unconventional). I have found them to have created a service that is essential to the survival and health of a marginalized community, and have managed to use the opportunity to create a welcoming and empowering environment in which lasting, impactful relationships are made. It is in these relationships that real changes occur, and from what I have seen, they are very intentional in relationally investing in each person that walks through those front doors.

What are three things on your bucket list?
Learn to play the Cello, hike to Manchu Picchu, and go on a horseback camping trip!

If you had an enormous yacht, what would you name it?
I think if I had an enormous yacht, I would probably sell it so that I could buy a couple kayaks instead. Do people name kayaks?

If you could foresee a single day of your future in its entirety, what date would you select?
I am not entirely sure that I would like to see a day in my future—I am very analytical and I think if I saw a day in my future I would make a whole lot of assumptions as to what is going on and how I got there. I think that would impact my day to day decisions in ‘real life’—it may really limit my ability to be creative, my willingness to explore options, or to ‘dream big’. Plus, where’s the adventure in knowing where you are going all the time?

What are you passionate about?
I am passionate about a couple things. Firstly; relationships. And not the romantic, gushy relationships, but human interaction in general. In each relationship or interaction, we have the ability to build someone up—to empower them, to encourage them, to help them see potential within themselves. There is nothing as destructive as a relationship with someone who doesn’t care about you, and nothing as empowering as having someone who does.
Secondly, I am passionate about creativity. I think we are all pretty creative, not just painting or singing, but we all have the opportunity to create something in our lives, and to use that creativity to impact those around us. I love working with people who are a different creative than I am, it’s amazing the solutions we can come up with!
Thirdly, I am really passionate social justice. I honestly believe that everyone is inherently valuable and can enrich my life in some way. Not all of us are born into the same circumstances, and the systems in which we live certainly aren’t set up to make sure everyone has the same chance of succeeding. I think it’s of utmost importance that we are active in trying to make our communities (locally and internationally) better, safer, and healthier places to live in.

What has been your favourite day of your life, up to this point?
I don’t know that I have a specific day, but let me describe my favourite days. My favourite days are the days that start with a cup of coffee, a good book, and my cat on the patio. My favourite days are the ones where I can slow down, making time to reflect, to create, and to connect and spend quality time with the people I love.

What has been your proudest accomplishment?
When I am not being a Social Worker at Inn from the Cold – Kelowna, I am a modern dance teacher and choreographer at Creator’s Art Centre. A couple years back I was able to work with 3 amazing young dancers who went on a long creative journey with me, exploring some pretty complex ideas and developing some really bizarre movement patterns. It was amazing to see the idea develop from some notes on a napkin to an engaging movement piece on stage. Watching it be performed with such dedication and ownership from those dancers was so encouraging. I also got to explain my intent and process at the Lille Gard Arts Festival that summer, which was so fun!

Where is your favourite place to dine in Kelowna? What do you like about it?
This is a hard one, because I really like eating good food. However, breakfast is probably my favourite meal—so I am going to go with the Bohemian Cafe; their BC Eggs Benedict paired with a London Fog on the patio? Yes please!

What is your favourite activity or event in Kelowna? Why?
We must live in one of the most naturally beautiful areas, so I love virtually everything outdoors. I really enjoy hiking or reading a novel at one of the quieter beaches. For events, I think Parks Alive is great! Not only does it give performance opportunities to local and emerging musicians, it’s a great place for the community to gather, enjoy some fresh air, support local talent, and connect with one another.

What is the name of your business/organization?
I coordinate the Inn Home Support Program, one of the support services for people experiencing or at-risk of homelessness operated through Inn from the Cold – Kelowna.

What does your business/organization do?
The Inn Home Support Program is a homeless prevention program that partners volunteers up with people who have recently transitioned out of homelessness and into housing. The volunteers act as companions and mentors, helping their partner ‘learn the ropes’ of their new life. This includes things like going out for coffee, helping them set up a bank account, assisting with getting them to medical appointments, and liaising with myself to make sure the participant can live a healthier and happier life. We’re always looking for more volunteers to be involved!

Where can people find you or your business online?
www.innfromthecoldkelowna.org

How do people connect with you on Linkedin?
Jordan McAlpine

Where can people find your business on Facebook?
IFTCkelowna

What is your Twitter account?
@iftckelowna

What is your mission?
“to respond to the needs of people experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, in a welcoming, compassionate and mutually respectful manner”

If you could achieve one thing within your field, what would it be?
There is a stark contrast between ‘being housed’ and ‘being home’—which I find to be both fascinating and extremely challenging within the field of homelessness. Growing up my family moved every 2 years or so, so I myself don’t really have an understanding of what it means to ‘be home’. But I think deeply woven into it is a feeling of belonging, of being known, of acceptance, and of inherent value. These characteristics, are things we are all searching for and hoping to create in our lives. For some of us, it’s harder to foster. Some members of our community experience just the opposite. They experience marginalization, discrimination, are excluded, and often dehumanized.If I could achieve one thing, it would be figuring out how to facilitate this -- how to create or help others create ‘home’—not just in their physical house, but in their community; to be involved in creating a truly inclusive place for all of us to live life alongside one another.

Where do you want your business/organization to be in five years?
We would love to be in the business of preventing homelessness! That means continuing to move towards more housing opportunities (we just opened our first house last summer), creating stronger social connections and community building, recreational opportunities, and building capacity in people to be healthy and independent. The Inn Home Support Program and the Kelowna Kodiaks Street Soccer Team specifically focus on these preventative factors. It is amazing the impact it has on someone’s life when they begin to feel included—not just that they ‘can’ be a part of the community, but the community is actually better with them as a part of it.

Who do you consider to be a forerunner within your field?
There is a team of brilliant individuals who have developed a website called “The Homeless Hub”—which is a huge online library of resources for the public. Having easy access to this information has been instrumental in helping us research best practices and to connect with other organizations that are doing similar work to us in other provinces. It has also been an amazing tool for educating the community about homelessness and related social issues—which increased compassion and decreases stigma. It is a collection of the forerunners within our field, and definitely worth looking into!

What three qualities do you feel that your business/organization exemplifies?
I am going to speak specifically about the program that I work in—the Inn Home Support Program (IHS). The IHS program exemplifies inclusion, collaboration, and Inherent Dignity
Inclusion: one of the main focuses of this program is to decrease isolation and help people connect with their community. Volunteers help their participants access resources in the community, engage in recreational activities, and assist them in developing life skills to further their ability to connect with others (like communication, or organizational skills)
Collaboration: this program allows the Volunteer and professional agency work together to best meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness. While the professional workers help with the counseling and case planning for individuals, volunteers assist with the social and emotional needs of their participants—creating a well-rounded and holistic team!
Inherent Dignity: this program is built on the notion that everyone is important, valuable, and is equally able to teach and encourage one another. True friendships/partnerships are created within this program, that is equally nurturing and beneficial to the volunteers as it is for the participants.

What would you like to say to your employees/volunteers?
I would love to encourage the Inn Home Support Volunteers. The work you each do within your IHS partnerships is so inspiring, whether that’s a simple conversation over a cup of coffee, sitting in on a doctor’s appointment to help your participant understand, or helping him/her learn how to grocery shop on a limited income. While a lot of the work we do at Inn from the Cold is about providing for people’s immediate needs and connecting them to the right resources, the REAL work is helping people re-discover their value. Helping them to see that they are important, that they are capable, that they are so worth our time and our efforts, and that our community is better with them in it. Simply, that we value them. When that shift in their own thinking occurs, that’s where the magic happens. That’s when the real change starts, and for many, that change starts when they meet with you.

How does your business/organization impact the community?
Inn Home Support Program impacts the community in a couple ways:
Benefits People Experiencing Homelessness: the most obvious benefit is to those who have transitioned out of homelessness as they are provided with the support services needed to maintain their housing. Participants express gratitude for on-going support and companionship, which has created stability in their lives.
Benefits Volunteers: Volunteers have the opportunity to make meaningful relationships with a member of the community they might not have met before, as well as become a part of a team of likeminded caring individuals.
Benefits the Community: this program has a 96 per cent success rate of keeping people housed, which benefits the whole community, from other agencies, health services, policing, businesses and the general public!

If you were trapped in an elevator with several wealthy investors from any field, which field would you want them to be experts in? What would say to them/talk about?
I’d like to meet investors from the whole community—people interested in the arts, in business, in the environment etc. There are a lot of things that can be done to make Kelowna a better and more inclusive place, and I think it is most likely going to take everyone at the table to do so! I’d love to hear a wide perspective of ideas and solutions and find a way to work together to make it happen.

If I could change one thing about Kelowna, it would be:
I would love to see the arts community (theatre, dance, music, visual arts) continue to grow. There are a lot of things happening already, but it would be awesome for things like exhibit openings or theatre productions be attended and supported by a wider group of people. Then these organizations could continue to expand and increase their impact/influence in our community! I’d love to see more creative outlets and opportunities for other segments of the population as well—specifically those who are typically left out.

What do you think makes Kelowna great?
Kelowna is quickly growing, but still seems to be figuring out who we want to be. Which is exciting, because we have the opportunity to create our identity! Do we want to be an arts and culture hub? Will we be environmental champions? Will we be known for having inclusive and innovative solutions to social issues? Surely there is more that we have to offer than just world-renowned wine—although, I am very pleased that we have that reputation as well!

My choice for the Kelowna In Focus spotlight is:
Laura Elliott—of Creator’s Arts Centre.

We encourage you to leave your comments and words of support below, and submit your own nomination by clicking HERE. You are also welcome to submit a form of your own by clicking HERE. Thank you, Kelowna!



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