Wellnest: A medical student-run housing support program

PROBLEM: Being unhoused and facing housing insecurity contribute to poor health outcomes. Medical school curricula may include social determinants of health (SDOH) topics. However, experiential learning opportunities allow students to better contextualize how SDOH impact patients. The WellNest Housing Support Program (WellNest) was conceived and developed by Duke University medical students to learn from and support community members with a history of housing insecurity.

APPROACH: Under the supervision of community organizations providing housing assistance services, WellNest was created in April 2020. Medical student-volunteers (MSVs) call clients, who are referred to WellNest by the community organizations, to plan move-ins. Local experts provide trainings on topics relevant to health care for individuals experiencing loss of housing. MSVs source and move furniture and clients' belongings into the new homes. Following move-in, MSVs are paired with clients to provide longitudinal tenancy support for at least one year. Student-volunteers contemplate their experiences and learning takeaways through debriefing sessions and an optional online survey.

OUTCOMES: From fall 2021 to spring 2023, 83 student-volunteers from across the university participated in WellNest. Student-volunteers were generally medical students (37, 45%), and 16 MSVs served on the leadership team. WellNest facilitated 29 move-ins, and 26 clients requested to be paired with MSVs for longitudinal tenancy support. Following participation in WellNest, student-volunteers reported increased comfort, awareness, knowledge, and motivation related to caring for, discussing, and advocating for individuals experiencing housing insecurity.

NEXT STEPS: As students from other programs are also interested in WellNest, there is potential for interprofessional education. Student-volunteers will be encouraged to participate in additional opportunities for reflection and advocacy activities. The impact of WellNest on clients will be explored through a questionnaire and narrative interviews. Long-term financial support was secured from community donations and partnering community organizations.