Without A Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey

Finally, to build assets and resilience, we need to address violence and exploitation. For
most of these young people, their lives have been characterized by exposure to violence
– in their homes, in their schools, in facilities or institutions, and on the streets. Every such
exposure erodes opportunities for these youth to develop in healthy ways and fosters
paths towards chronic homelessness, mental illness, and early death. This undermines the
building of assets and resilience.
5.8 The Importance of Fortifying Natural Supports
Positive relations with family, friends, neighbours, co-workers (and in the case of youth –
meaningful adults) are all assets that help young people move into adulthood in a healthy
way. These are considered ‘natural supports’, and for young people who experience
homelessness, these connections can be instrumental in helping young people survive on
the streets, and eventually move out of homelessness. Housing stability after homelessness
is enhanced with strong natural systems of support.
In spite of the multiple forms of victimization and marginality experienced by these youth
– including, for many, histories of family conflict, physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse
– most young people we surveyed were able to successfully sustain a positive relationship
with at least one family member and develop supportive relationships with other youth
and adults while homeless.
Friends
Over three quarters of the young people in
this survey generally had moderate (27.3%)
to positive (51.2%) relations with friends.
While for these young people friendships
are positive assets as they go forward,
it is worth pointing out that 21.4% had
negative associations with friends, and
8.2% reported highly negative experiences
of friendship.
78.5%
indicated they had
moderate to positive
relations with friends
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WITHOUT A HOME: THE NATIONAL YOUTH HOMELESSNESS SURVEY