DIY Community Health Timmins

DIY Community Health is an Incorporated non-profit based in Timmins, Ontario.  We provide equitable health and social services to marginalized groups that face barriers to accessing traditional support streams, aiming to strengthen the local health and social support system.  

DIY Community Health is founded on the idea that people with lived/living experience (PLLE) of homelessness, mental illness, and substance use are experts in their own lives. We believe that a profound impact is made when equity and social justice are at the center of community solutions.   We know that our community is better off when we work together and support one another.

DIY Community Health’s Outreach Services:  

Outreach initiatives are designed to complement existing programs rather than replicate them. The introduction of additional outreach services ultimately leads to a more comprehensive and effective approach to improving health access and outcomes in underserved communities.  

DIY Community Health’s Outreach program focuses on underserved communities, particularly marginalized groups who encounter barriers to accessing existing services.  DIY Community Health targets its services toward people with complex health and social needs who face barriers to accessing existing community services.   

DIY Community Health has also developed an innovative Outreach model as an alternative to traditional security services; offering de-escalation and support services for community events and partners.  The "Community Care Team" model has been successfully implemented with important partners; including, Fierte Timmins Pride, Timmins Area Women in Crisis.

Mutual Aid Site:

A physical location has been established to serve as a mutual aid site where community members can access health services, educational resources, and social support.  The site also serves as the base of operations for DIY Community Health’s Outreach team and community volunteer initiatives.

Hummingbird:

Hummingbird is a mobile application that allows people to request prompt intervention support from local community-based services during stressful situations involving at-risk individuals.

By intervening in such situations, outreach workers not only resolve the conflict at hand, but also mitigate potential conflicts in the future by connecting at-risk individuals with services that support their needs.

A Case Study on Hummingbird has been created to facilitate next steps in the development of the community resource. Opportunities are being explored to secure sustainable funding for the resource.