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Wednesday, November 13 at Portland State University

Fall 2024 Provider Conference

The purpose of the provider conference is to be a broad-based, semi-regular gathering for service providers (including but not limited to contracted providers) to engage with each other and JOHS about areas of mutual interest, including but not limited to news, budget, data standards and programming. 

The vision is to make a more collaborative, equitable and effective homeless services system.

Presentation Solicitation

This is a great opportunity for members of our provider community to suggest ideas and issues to present and problem-solve with your peers across other providers and JOHS.  We are open to general ideas as well as fully developed presentations. Find past examples below.

View the Form Details Below

  1. Your name, organization and contact information

  2. The title of your topic

  3. A concise description of what you plan to do in your session and the goals or outcomes you wish to achieve

  4. Others who will work with you on the session (organizations; names of co-presenters if known)

  5. The proposed audience for your session (you can pick more than one from our list)

  6. The purpose of your session

  7. The proposed format for your session

  8. A brief but complete description for how your session will address:

    1. Intersectional equity

    2. Collaboration

  9. Is your session time sensitive, meaning it addresses a topic or issue that is timely or pressing?

  10. Any additional details or questions you have for the conference planning committee

Session proposals will be reviewed and selected based on their ability to align with conference expectations and adherence to format preferences.  We will try to accommodate all scheduling requests but cannot guarantee we can meet them all.

View Spring 2024 Conference Examples
View October 2023 Conference Examples

Share Your Ideas Today

Submit proposals by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 11.

Submit a Conference Session Idea

More Details

Session Purpose

Sessions intend to meet one or more of the following:

Co-Learning

The proposed session brings forward ideas, concepts, practices, lessons learned, and/or challenges faced by the homeless response system.

Co-Building

The proposed session encourages active participation and contribution from all partners in the development and implementation of initiatives to reduce homelessness.

Co-Nnecting

The session primarily is designed to bring people together and build connections, relationships, understanding across organizations and across areas of difference.

Session Content Expectations

Proposals should consider the following:

Intersectional Equity

  1. Conference content promotes equity by addressing outcomes and processes that recognize and undo structural oppression(s).

  2. Content should explicitly acknowledge and address the disproportionate experience of homelessness/housing insecurity among marginalized communities, particularly Black, African American or African communities; Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander communities; American Indian, Alaska Native or Indigenous communities; Latina/Latino/Latinx/Latine communities; Asian or Asian American communities; Adults over the age of 55; LGBTQIA2S+ communities; and people with disabilities.  An intersectional approach to equity should be emphasized.

  3. Proposals should demonstrate a commitment to centering the voices and experiences of marginalized communities in all aspects of programming, including representation among speakers, panelists, and workshop facilitators.

Collaboration

  1. Conference content promotes collaboration by fostering connections between homeless services providers, community organizations, government agencies, and the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS).

  2. Proposals should outline concrete strategies for facilitating meaningful dialogue, information sharing, and resource collaboration among the diverse expertise, perspectives, and resources within the homeless services community.

  3. Emphasis should be placed on identifying and disseminating best practices, sharing lessons learned, and collectively addressing challenges faced by the homelessness response system.

  4. Collaboration should extend beyond the conference itself to ongoing partnerships and networks aimed at building collective accountability and promoting sustainable solutions.

Presentation Formats

In order to minimize power differential between presenter and audience, all conference sessions should be designed to apply the above expectations.  The recommended formats listed here have great latitude in how they can be applied.

Listening and/or Problem Solving

Session facilitators listen to the concerns/ideas of attendees that are related to the subject matter.  Facilitators work alongside attendees to engage with solution focused responses to identified problems or challenges.

Panel Discussion

Facilitators lead a group or panel that includes at minimum JOHS staff and provider staff (ideally from both established providers, new/emerging providers and culturally specific providers) to provide content, perspectives and/or insights related to the subject matter.  The panel may dialogue with each other and/or with attendees.  Must at minimum include a Q&A.

Collaborative Presentation

JOHS and a provider organize a joint presentation on a topic to share the different perspectives on the subject matter.  Collaborative presentations can include dialogue between JOHS and the provider, as well as between the collaborative presenters and attendees. Must at minimum include a Q&A.

Passive Presentation

JOHS and/or providers can table, create fliers, posters or other visual communication to share information or perspectives on a topic.  The passive presentations should be available throughout the conference and not tied to a particular time period.  While these are described as ‘passive’, these visual sessions should include interactive components, such as periods of staffed question and answer, or collecting written responses.