NORC at the University of Chicago reposted this
The built, or physical, environment of domestic violence shelters is integral to resident and staff wellbeing. Our team at NORC at the University of Chicago recently had the opportunity to partner with Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity, New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA), The New York Academy of Medicine, and Evaluation + Learning Consulting to evaluate Environments Promoting Wellness & Resilience (EmPWR). This initiative transformed communal spaces in nine DV shelters across NYC. NORC conducted the evaluation of the initiative and designed a practitioner guide to support replication across other residential social service settings. Click below to learn more! Many thanks to our research team: Sabrina Avripas, Meaghan Hunt, Caroline Davis, Miriam Lupovitch, Carol Hafford, Jenna Sirkin, Maya Scherer, Elizabeth DiLuzio
NYC Opportunity and NORC at the University of Chicago have released a new evaluation report and practitioners’ guide highlighting the promise of participatory design to promote the emotional wellbeing for vulnerable populations. Environments Promoting Wellness and Resilience (EmPWR) was a collaborative effort between the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the NYC Human Resources Administration, and NYC Opportunity to enhance the built environment of domestic violence shelters. The program partnered architects with shelter residents and staff in a participatory process to redesign communal spaces that support the social-emotional needs of survivors, fostering a trauma-informed environment that emphasizes safety, trust, and choice. The evaluation found that both shelter residents and staff reported that the redesigned spaces had a positive influence on their overall wellbeing, improving residents’ mood and sense of safety. The accompanying practitioners’ guide provides actionable step-by-step guidance and to enhance the built environment of communal spaces in various social service settings. The guide presents participatory design strategies and activities to ensure that staff, resident, and stakeholder perspectives are included throughout various phases of the project, from determining readiness and site assessment, to design planning, installation, and sustainability. https://lnkd.in/e2_mZRUh