COH-AWH-What_Would_it_Take

3.3. SOCIAL EXCLUSION
& ISOLATION
Feeling excluded, isolated, and alone was frequently
raised in focus groups with youth, particularly in
smaller communities or those lacking services.
For many young people, these experiences began
at home with feelings of neglect and abandonment.
Some young people tried to avoid the violence or
poverty at home, but often had nowhere to go and
no funds to get there. These experiences continued
on the streets for many, with youth reporting
that they were “entirely alone,” “had to figure out
everything alone,” and “had nobody.” When asked if
they had anyone to help them figure out what to do
once they became homeless, almost all youth across
the country said they had no one.
This isolation often intersected with bias-based
discrimination and stigmatization on the basis of
class, mental health status, disability, sexuality,
race, and other identities. Youth recounted painful
memories of being kicked out of public spaces
“If you do become
homeless, um, it’s a really
surreal feeling, really, like
intellectually, like emotionally,
like you’re really unstable …
once you become homeless,
it doesn’t quite register, like,
click right away, right? You’re
tired, I want to go home, but I
don’t have a home. Where am
I supposed to go, right?”
EDMONTON YOUTH
and businesses on these bases, sometimes under threat of arrest. Youth reported there were
few free spaces where they could positively engage with peers, rest, practice their hobbies,
showcase their talents, or simply hang out. In the absence of spaces that were safe, free, nonjudgmental,
and non-discriminatory, youth felt that mental health and addiction issues often
developed or worsened.
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? 112