Queer Yukon is looking for an Academic partner and a paid student researcher for a one-year research project looking at LGBTQIA2S+ Yukoner’s experiences with housing across the territory.
The project: The research question for this project is: What does LGBTQIA2S+ housing hardship (unsafe housing, housing insecurity and/or homelessness) look like in Yukon, and how is that impacted by COVID-19 and the subsequent recovery? We know that across Canada, LGBTQIA2S+ households have been hit particularly hard by the economic impacts of the pandemic (EGALE 2020), and anecdotal reports from service providers suggest that the economic impacts of COVID-19 have forced LGBTQIA2S+ Yukoners into increasingly unsafe and unstable housing situations, such as staying with homo/bi/transphobic family or roommates or struggling to find housing at all. Therefore, this research project seeks to understand LGBTQIA2S+ Yukoners’ experiences with existing supports, including COVID-19 relief programs, and the gaps or needs that remain to be addressed. At the same time, research on LGBTQIA2S+ housing issues in Yukon is lacking, so this project will be critically important to establish a baseline of understanding on this topic.
Building on Queer Yukon‘s successful territory-wide campaign of virtual engagement over the past year, the research methods will include interviews (held over the phone or videoconferencing), focus groups or town-hall meetings, and a survey administered online and through partner service agencies. The project is intended to run for one year, from August 2021 through July 2022
The research team: My name is Mona Luxion (pronouns they/them). I am a Whitehorse-based queer/trans researcher who has been engaged as a research consultant to lead this project. I hold a PhD in Urban Planning and Policy from McGill University, and have a background in critical, feminist policy research using qualitative, participatory methods. I’ve also worked in the nonprofit sector in tenant advocacy and homelessness service organizations.
Yukon-based service agencies have widely expressed support for the project and eagerness to integrate the findings into their practices, and the research will be guided by a steering committee of service providers and people with lived experience to ensure it is both relevant and appropriate.
Open positions: Part of the goal of this project is to build capacity for research on these topics, and as such we are working with Mitacs through the Accelerate program to fund a research internship for an interested student.
- Academic partner: We are looking for a co-supervisor associated with an academic institution to provide an academic “home base” for the Accelerate-funded intern. This could be a student’s existing academic supervisor, or a third-party. Depending on the academic partner’s research interests and availability, this can be a hands-on position or a more distant, reviewer-type role. There may be opportunities for the academic co-supervisor to have the intern work on other related projects, as well.
- Research intern: This would be a 8-12 month funded position (~$30,000 total) working closely with myself and the academic co-supervisor. We would strongly prefer a candidate who is located in Yukon or has knowledge of Yukon communities, but will consider candidates with experience in other Northern communities and/or Indigenous communities. Familiarity with LGBTQIA2S+ experiences is also preferred. The intern must be a student or post-doc at a Canadian university (more about the program on the Accelerate website.
Finding qualified, interested partners for this project has been challenging, and we’re grateful for any help you can provide! Please feel free to circulate this email to anyone in your networks who might be interested.
For more information about the project, or to apply for either of these positions, please contact me at mona@monaluxion.ca
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Mona