Homelessness and Vulnerable Persons Course 2026
This course is for security guards, concierges and patrol staff in Canada who meet people experiencing homelessness or other vulnerable persons on duty. It covers respectful language, safe approaches, enforcing site rules with dignity, cold weather and medical risks, and where to find help.
Kort svar
Den här gratiskursen har lektioner på cirka 30 minuter och ett prov med 25 frågor. Med minst 80 % kan du ladda ner ett kursintyg (privat, inte ackrediterat). Kontrollerad mot officiella källor den 11 oktober 2026.
Det här lär du dig
- Use respectful, person-first language in speech and reports
- Describe the main types of homelessness in Canada
- Approach and wake a sleeping person safely and respectfully
- Enforce site rules fairly while protecting dignity and belongings
- Recognize emergencies and connect people to 9-1-1, 9-8-8 or 211
Få minst 80 % för att ladda ner ditt certifikat.
-
Fråga 1 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: D. A person experiencing homelessness
Person-first language puts the person before their situation. Homelessness is something a person goes through, not who they are.
-
Fråga 2 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: C. provisionally accommodated, also called hidden homelessness
People staying temporarily with friends or family, in motels or in transitional housing are provisionally accommodated. This is often called hidden homelessness.
-
Fråga 3 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: C. Living outdoors or in places not meant for people to live
Unsheltered, or absolute, homelessness means living outdoors, in vehicles or in other places not meant for human living, without consent.
-
Fråga 4 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: A. Emergency sheltered
Emergency sheltered includes homeless shelters, violence-against-women shelters and disaster shelters.
-
Fråga 5 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: D. A free, confidential line to community and social services
211 helps people find food, shelter, housing, mental health and other community services. In most of Canada it runs 24 hours a day.
-
Fråga 6 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: C. Call 9-1-1 right away and give first aid you are trained to give
An unresponsive person is a medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 first. 211 is for non-emergency services.
-
Fråga 7 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: B. Stand back, say who you are and ask if they are okay
Start from a safe distance with a calm voice. Startling someone who is asleep can frighten them and put you both at risk.
-
Fråga 8 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: B. Wake them politely, explain the rule, allow time to pack, offer shelter info
You can enforce site rules and still treat the person with dignity. Explaining, giving time and offering resources lowers the chance of conflict.
-
Fråga 9 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: C. Handle them with care and follow your site's procedure
Belongings may be everything a person owns, including ID and medicine. Handle them carefully and follow your employer's procedure.
-
Fråga 10 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: D. Provincial and territorial trespass laws
Each province and territory has its own trespass law, such as Ontario's Trespass to Property Act and Alberta's Trespass to Premises Act.
-
Fråga 11 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: C. Keep talking calmly and call police instead of using force
Physical removal raises the risk of injury and complaints. Many sites tell guards to call police when a person will not leave, and to document what happened.
-
Fråga 12 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: B. The person's behaviour and the site rules, applied equally
Act on what a person does, not how they look. Applying rules unequally is unfair and can lead to human rights complaints.
-
Fråga 13 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: A. Call 9-1-1 and move them gently to a warm place
These can be signs of hypothermia. Handle the person gently, keep them lying flat if possible, and warm the core while you wait for EMS.
-
Fråga 14 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: A. Only if there is no chance it will freeze again
Thawing and then refreezing causes more damage, so only thaw if the body part will not freeze again.
-
Fråga 15 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: D. Do not touch it bare-handed; follow your site's sharps procedure
Never handle needles with bare hands or recap them. Use the proper tools and a puncture-proof sharps container, or call the service your site uses.
-
Fråga 16 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: B. Many have lived through trauma; harshness can cause fear or conflict
Respect lowers stress for everyone. People who have been hurt before may react strongly to shouting, crowding or touching.
-
Fråga 17 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: B. An older adult who seems lost and confused late at night
Vulnerable persons include people who are lost, confused, very young, elderly, ill, intoxicated or in crisis, and who may not be able to keep themselves safe.
-
Fråga 18 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: D. Stay with them and call 9-1-1 for medical help
A person who cannot care for themselves is at risk of injury, choking or cold injury. Get medical help rather than sending them away.
-
Fråga 19 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: C. 9-8-8
9-8-8 is Canada's Suicide Crisis Helpline, open 24/7 by call or text. Call 9-1-1 if there is immediate danger.
-
Fråga 20 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: A. Do not record or share images; respect their privacy
Guards should not film or share images of people in vulnerable situations, except as required by site policy for security purposes.
-
Fråga 21 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: D. "02:15 Man, about 40, asleep in east stairwell. Explained policy. Left 02:25."
Notes should record times, facts and actions in neutral words. Labels and slurs are unprofessional and can hurt you in court.
-
Fråga 22 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: B. A federal program that funds communities to prevent and reduce homelessness
Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy is a community-based federal program that started in 2019.
-
Fråga 23 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: B. At an angle, with space and a clear way out for both
Giving space and keeping exits clear helps the person feel less trapped and keeps you safer.
-
Fråga 24 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: D. Choices give the person some control, which lowers tension
People are more likely to cooperate when they keep some control. Offer only choices your site actually allows.
-
Fråga 25 av 25
Visa svar
Svar: A. Call 9-1-1, give naloxone and stay with the person
Health Canada says to call 9-1-1, give naloxone and stay. Naloxone can wear off before the opioids do.
Tangentbord: 1–4 för att svara, Enter för nästa fråga.
Bra att veta före provet
- The Canadian Definition of Homelessness has four categories: unsheltered, emergency sheltered, provisionally accommodated, and at risk of homelessness.
- 211 is a free, confidential service that connects people to food, housing, shelter, mental health and other community services, 24/7 in most of Canada.
- 9-8-8 is Canada's Suicide Crisis Helpline. People can call or text 24 hours a day, in English or French.
- Trespass rules on private property come from provincial and territorial laws, such as Ontario's Trespass to Property Act.
- Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy is a federal program, launched in 2019, that funds communities to prevent and reduce homelessness.
Vanliga frågor
Can a security guard make someone leave private property?
Usually a guard acting for the owner or occupier can tell a person to leave, under the province's trespass law. How you do it matters: explain, give time, offer resources and call police instead of using force when you can.
Should I call 9-1-1 or 211?
Call 9-1-1 for any emergency, such as a person who is unresponsive, badly hurt, very cold or in danger. Use 211 to find non-emergency services like shelters, meals and outreach.
What if a person refuses help?
Adults can refuse help. Respect their choice, give them information they can use later, and check back if your post orders allow. If their life is at risk, call 9-1-1.
Does my site's policy override these lessons?
Always follow your employer's post orders and the law in your province. These lessons explain safe and respectful ways to carry out those orders.
Är intyget ackrediterat eller officiellt erkänt?
Nej. Det är ett privat kursintyg, bara för dina kunskaper. Det är inte erkänt, ackrediterat eller godkänt av någon myndighet, tillståndsmyndighet, tillsynsmyndighet eller utbildningsinstitution, och det ersätter inte någon licens, certifiering eller utbildning som krävs enligt lag.
Källor
- Canadian Definition of Homelessness typology (Statistics Canada research paper)
- Canadian Definition of Homelessness (Canadian Observatory on Homelessness)
- Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy (Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada)
- 211 Canada
- 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline (Public Health Agency of Canada)
- Trespass to Property Act (Ontario)
- Trespass to Premises Act (Alberta)
- Canadian Red Cross First Aid & CPR learner guide (2025)