The Mustard Seed in Kamloops is hiring a Street Outreach Worker to work with people who are homeless as well as businesses both downtown and along West Victoria Street.

The goal of this pilot project is to “improve outcomes for all parties by better articulating access to programs and services and providing mitigation strategies and de-escalation techniques.”

This Street Outreach Worker will start work this month, with more details on how business owners can access the service expected soon.

“The City of Kamloops is also said to be proceeding with a street outreach program in conjunction with their Community Services Division,” Howie Reimer, the Executive Director of the Kamloops Central Business Improvement Association said.

“This will see a Street Outreach Worker paired with a non-uniformed, but identifiable Community Services Officer, not unlike the RCMP/Interior Health Car-40 program.”

Reimer says the hope is that both these initiatives will improve the lives of some of the City’s most vulnerable, while also reducing negative impacts on downtown businesses.

“As you’ve likely heard, the Provincial Government has announced a task force will spend the next few months examining options for dealing with prolific offenders in our communities,” Reimer added.

“Recommendations and implementation will follow. We will be following closely.”