Who Said Case Management Can't Be Fun?

Written by: Robert Becerra, MA, Housing Navigator

Housing Navigation has entered a new era of community building! A desire to have a fuller impact on the post-secondary experience motivates our program to host varied events.  To this end, Wesley House hosted its first Socializing on a Budget event, which combined financial wellness education with fun activities, including cornhole and foosball. We wanted to provide immediate, bite-sized examples of our teachings. In attendance were Housing Navigation clients, Wesley House residents, staff, volunteers, and food pantry clients. For example, Ana, a Wesley House

resident, placed as runner-up in a friendly cornhole competition! She brought her athleticism and competitive spirit to a tense showdown against a Housing Navigation client.

During the educational portion, students shared their needs regarding the cost of socializing and how these expenses impact the ability to remain stably housed. The purpose of hearing from them was to create tailored responses for each of their concerns. Some students saved money on outfits by attending our clothing giveaway. Yet another resident shared life hacks to socialize on a budget like ordering water when going out which not only saves money on drinks, but also on rideshare services while preventing DUIs. Furthermore, a grad student talked about the value of hosting house parties vs. going out, since in the former you don’t have to spend on tipping service staff or anything on transportation!
 
We made sure the workshop was oriented towards supporting students’ basic needs for human connection while also providing them with a ton of resources to meet them in a smart manner. We have our Housing Navigation Admin Jeff to thank for devising a list of free/low-cost options in San Diego for college students to have fun on a budget! Immediately after the workshop, opportunities came up to put the concepts into practice. For example, one resident took advantage of the local Art Walk in Little Italy which had zero cost of admission!

All in all, the focus of housing navigation is expanding beyond crisis and austerity towards a space of belonging and enjoyment from an ethos of student resourcefulness

On the horizon for community building is a Summer Resource Fair in the back patio of Wesley House Student Residence.  We want to invite community partners to share financial resources, such as scholarship opportunities to which students can apply in between semesters, all while participating in activity booths set up throughout the patio.
 
It is our intention to invite local nonprofit leaders to learn more about our commitment to affordable student housing and overall student success. We are firm believers that recovering from financial hardship does not need to shame students for their expenditures: It is our responsibility to provide them with sustainable alternatives so they may truly be empowered to see change materialize in their lives. While planning is still in development, we would like to integrate a fundraising opportunity at the Summer Resource Fair where guests can donate to our mission.

If you can’t wait until the summer to DONATE, you can NOW do so here:

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