All of us experience vulnerability from time to time. Importantly, vulnerability isn’t something we are, but something we are experiencing as part of a current situation. Vulnerability experiences are vastly different: they can be minor or severe, temporary, recurring or life-long. For instance, a person currently seeking stable and safe housing is experiencing serious vulnerability and would benefit from urgent support, but a person experiencing sleep deprivation or in the midst of changing jobs is also experiencing a type of vulnerability which may or may not evolve into a longer-term or severe experience.
At the BEST Centre, we are passionate about supporting and empowering customers experiencing vulnerability across any stage of the customer lifecycle, using multi-disciplinary tools and strengths-based approaches. Strengths-based approaches to vulnerability are imperative, as these approaches shy away from expert-led deficit-based approaches that can become paternalistic, and instead focus on the unique tools, support systems and internal and external resources that we all possess. These resources are key for empowerment, resilience, and long-term solutions.
On this page, we present just some of our work in this space. You can read about how our brainwaves reveal the types of digital support that best help us support health outcomes, or how a digital portal can support mature women to retain safe housing through access to tailored tools that help them navigate common changes in circumstances like the loss of a job or a relationship breakdown.
Please click through the links to read more about our projects, publications, and events.