Each Villager’s journey to success looks a bit different, but there are some common threads present in every success story. A successful Villager is one who has grabbed onto these threads and worked with E1V staff and partners to make a plan to regain flourishing in their lives, work through the plan and celebrate the wins along the way. To be clear though, this successful journey begins with safe shelter and a supportively engaged community which establishes the foundation for success.

Once safe shelter and belonging through community are established the Villager is given a staff-led cohort with other villagers where they are supported in setting and achieving goals. Standard goals that are required within a cohort are obtaining an ID, health insurance, EBT, and phone. Everyone Village calls this the ‘Core-4’ and believe that without these basic necessities flourishing to success is nearly impossible. The Villager works with their cohort to reestablish a healthy rhythm of setting personal goals, working towards them, getting help when needed and celebrating when successful. Some common personal goals include medical, physical, employment, financial, and housing goals.

As each Villager begins to pull all of these threads together, dignity, purpose, and hope are restored. With these in place and the wins coming Villagers will begin flourishing again. At this stage the Village and Villager begin working together on regaining meaningful and sustainable employment or securing financial support through other means, SSI, SSDI, etc. and finding a safe and permanent place to live in the community.

All along this journey, for each villager, is the opportunity to give back to the Village, the neighborhood and the larger community. Recognizing that one of the brightest and most hopeful signs of success is giving back and helping others.