According to a report from The Housing Collective, a Bridgeport-based nonprofit, a significant percentage of shelter employees have experienced housing insecurity in recent years.
The report showed over 20% of frontline staff in Fairfield County were at risk of losing their housing in the past two years, and more than half responded that they struggled to pay bills. Over 13% earn a salary below the federal poverty line.
Northwest Connecticut has similar figures, according to the report, with nearly 30% experiencing housing insecurity and over 60% struggling to pay bills.
The report also highlighted a lack of training for these employees. Nearly 15% of respondents have felt unprepared at work, and over 40% said they would benefit from proper training.
The Housing Collective recommended increasing wages and making more training opportunities available to employees to address these issues.
