FAQ’s

The pacing and timeline will be different for each individual relationship and will depend upon how consistently you are able to meet and how quickly your Neighbor can open up so you can get to know them.  Because many people experiencing homelessness are cautious about relationships, either because of difficult ones in the past or because they question the motivation of the Friend (they will often ask themselves..... ‘Why does this person want to be my friend?”, “Can I trust them?” “Do they really care about me?”) trust is a big issue to overcome in the relationship.  So, if trust takes a while to develop, the 1st phase can take up to 6 months.  However, a typical Phase 1 relationship is about 3 months.  Remember this initial phase should not be rushed. Generally, it can take 2 to 3 months in the following phases (or 6 connections in each phase).

The instructions can be found in the "Personal Journey Plan" section of the Friend Toolbox. 

Yes, if your Neighbor is desiring to be involved in discipleship, you are welcome to do that starting at the beginning of your relationship.  You can contact SDRM to get materials should you need them. Remember that the desire to move into bible teaching should come from the Neighbor themselves. The program isn’t designed to be like other mentoring/discipleship programs so be sure to focus on the developing of a one on one relationship first (or prioritize getting to know them while discipling). 

Know that it is important to always ask before you take your Neighbors pictures and/or before you post anything on social media.  Be respectful of using any picture for personal gain and limit social media to posts that which will promote the WWM program while giving honor and respect to the individual. Some people that are unsheltered enjoy having their picture taken, especially with their new Friend, because it’s a typical thing to do and they feel connected to a ‘healthier community’.   

WWM would like to suggest taking a picture with your new Neighbor at the beginning of your relationship and again as you move forward to more consistent meetings. We’d like to highlight some stories so we can help get more people involved in the movement as well as help change the community perspective by telling people about the value and uniqueness of each individual. 

Your Walk With Me Ambassador and our staff can help connect you to housing resources. 

There are a number of resources available and it’s best to check the Friend Toolbox in the "Local Resources" section for specific issues that arise. Typically, if your Neighbor is connected to an organization, they will have knowledge of your Neighbors specific issues and with permission/a release, you can ask them how to best assist. You can also check in with their Health Center and see if they have insight into how best to support your Neighbor. If they don’t have a health center yet, you can refer to the "Local Resources" section and suggest one in the area. Remember to ask your ambassador or a WWM team member if you have difficulty having these type of questions answered. You are their Friend, not a case manager, so please reach out to your ambassador when you need additional resources and support. 

Yes, our neighbors experiencing homelessness might not be used to a consistent person staying connected and trying to ‘befriend’ them over a long period time. They are more used to people coming in and out of their lives. If you can consistently and reliably engage, have patience, pursue meetings even when they don’t show up (within boundaries) and give second chances, your Neighbor may begin to trust you and let you into their world.  The WWM program is designed to be a ‘friend to friend’ program and once your neighbor knows you don’t have a personal ‘agenda’, the trust can develop quickly.  Twelve months of time, twice a month (which is typically a minimum amount) is 24 encounters and a solid relationship can develop within that time.   

Your Walk With Me Ambassador is available to help you with problems/challenges you might encounter with your Neighbor. Your ambassador will contact the Walk With Me staff if additional support or resources are needed. 

There will be Walk With Me Friend gatherings and quarterly meetings. You can also reach out to the Walk With Me team if you would like to network with other Friends in your region.

You can find instructions regarding how to set up a Google phone number in the "Help For Starting Your Friendship" section of the Toolbox. 

Meeting your Neighbor in their ‘comfort zone’ will be important at the beginning of the relationship. You can check with your ambassador who is familiar with meeting places in your area and also check the Toolbox for general meeting places. We will also be setting up meeting places in different areas of San Diego County where you can meet with your Neighbor and other pairs. These meeting places will vary depending upon the Neighbor/Friend population in a certain area.  

Whatever feels comfortable for you and your Neighbor.  A typical breakfast or lunch is enough time and perhaps a bit longer when you get into the ‘digging deeper’ activities. Remember you are building a friendship over time and consistent times together, rather than length of time, helps to develop trust.    

Start as you would when getting to know someone by engaging in light conversation. Your ambassador and/or the WWM team can help you with some ideas prior to your first visit with your Neighbor if you are unsure as to what to say or do. 

We would recommend that you do not drive them for at least the beginning of the relationship and longer if you don’t feel comfortable. Again, each relationship is different and if transportation seems to be the main reason someone isn’t meeting with you or isn’t able to attend our quarterly gatherings, please connect with the WWM team; we have access to bus passes and can offer other suggestions for your Neighbor to get to your meeting. 

 The COVID-19 pandemic has created some challenges to pairing Friends and Neighbors, so please be patient if it takes some time before you are paired. 

Anyone interested in becoming a Walk With Me Friend or Ambassador should go to our Walk With Me webpage and submit the interest form/contact information at the bottom of the page. Those who only wish to go through the training can email Walk With Me Program Manager, Crystal Carlson at [email protected].

Yes, you can review the training as often as you like.

Additional resources for Neighbors can be found in the "Local Resources for Neighbors" section of the Friend Toolbox. You can also contact your WWM Ambassador for additional resources.

You can go to the "Dig Deeper on Training Topics" in the Friend Toolbox to learn more regarding the specific topics covered in the training.

Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Debbie Krakauer at [email protected] for information regarding additional volunteer opportunities.