Each week we will post a summary of interesting and representative 211 calls. This week, we have a connection from New Brunswick.

It’s always difficult to look for housing, but the difficulty has intensified during the pandemic. Not only can 211 Service Navigators offer resources, they can also follow up with callers to make sure that they get the help that they need.

A male senior called 211 from the City of Saint John. Initially, it was not clear exactly what he wanted, but after the Service Navigator probed, she found that he needed a new place to rent. He was not sure of where to start.

She asked several clarifying questions to understand exactly what kind of housing he needed, such as if he needed the housing to be subsidized or physically accessible. Once the Service Navigator understood what he was seeking, she provided him with a referral to housing that would fit his needs and gave him detailed information as to how to apply.

To make certain that he would get the housing he needed, she asked his permission to plan a follow-up call in a few days. She wanted to check that he had no difficulty applying and see if he had any further questions. He agreed to this and a follow-up call was scheduled.