COH-AWH-What_Would_it_Take

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To provide youth who are homeless with viable employment opportunities, we need to ensure that these young people have all the advantages that housed youth have when seeking employment: a safe home, educational and training opportunities, supportive peers and adults, and the flexibility to fail without risking their safety, security, or housing (Gaetz & O’Grady, 2013). It is also essential that social assistance rates are livable and social assistance is accessible for youth who cannot obtain employment, for whatever reason. To be effective, youth across Canada have told us that homelessness prevention must reduce these barriers and prioritize livable wages and social assistance rates.
1.2 LACK OF HOUSING While youth viewed housing as necessary for their safety, security, and participation in society, many described childhoods of precarious housing and poverty. In some cases this was combined with addiction, abuse, disability, and/or mental health issues within the family, all challenges made worse by housing pressures. Forced to choose between rent and food, many parents or caregivers were unable to properly feed or clothe their children. “It sucks being in that position; you’re homeless, and the first thing you need is a job, because how do you pay a house deposit? Well you need money! How do you get money? Work!” EDMONTON YOUTH The lack of safe and affordable housing becomes a particularly significant problem for youth who can no longer remain in their caregivers’ home. “They should force the developers to make some affordable housing [...] not just the luxury condos. It needs to be proportionate. You can’t take away affordable housing and not put something to compensate what you’re taking away from the community.” TORONTO YOUTH For many, childhood experiences of neglect, abuse, and housing insecurity forced them out on the street at a young age. Many were kicked out, while others left because it was safer to be homeless than to be at home. Like their peers, youth involved in the child welfare system reported histories of housing precarity and neglect – moving frequently between foster homes and group homes, constantly unsure of where they would be living next. This instability was compounded by ineffective transitions from care for many youth, increasing their risk of homelessness. Youth across the country reported that once they were on their own, it was extremely difficult to find housing. Youth particularly emphasized the interdependency between housing, employment, and education, explaining that having no housing made it difficult to remain in school or get a job. For many, the cycle of housing precarity that began in the childhood continued in adolescence – but now they were on their own. WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? 45
Page 1 and 2: WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? Youth Across Ca
Page 3 and 4: This research was made possible thr
Page 5 and 6: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Are we making sig
Page 7 and 8: YOUTH’S PERSPECTIVES ON PREVENTIO
Page 9 and 10: Youth’s Proposed Solutions • In
Page 11 and 12: • Lack of education for youth on
Page 13 and 14: “My trauma led me down a wrong pa
Page 15 and 16: 5. Align ministerial, departmental,
Page 17 and 18: INTEGRATED GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS 1. W
Page 19 and 20: INTRODUCTION Youth homelessness in
Page 21 and 22: Systems change is difficult work. T
Page 23 and 24: Finally, youth homelessness prevent
Page 25 and 26: CONSULTATION PROCESS National consu
Page 27 and 28: Prior to beginning the study, resea
Page 29 and 30: 62 % Self-identified as currently e
Page 31 and 32: WHAT IS YOUTH HOMELESSNESS PREVENTI
Page 33 and 34: YOUTH’S PERSPECTIVES ON PREVENTIO
Page 35 and 36: WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? 1. STRUCTURAL P
Page 37 and 38: “I think that affordable housing
Page 39 and 40: LOW SOCIAL ASSISTANCE RATES Many yo
Page 41 and 42: LOW WAGES & TIGHT JOB MARKETS In th
Page 43: MOVING FORWARD To ensure better out
Page 47 and 48: Public Housing Challenges The lack
Page 49 and 50: MOVING FORWARD The solutions propos
Page 51 and 52: “Well, for me, like, because of r
Page 53 and 54: MOVING FORWARD Indigenous youth vie
Page 55 and 56: “I have friends that are in foste
Page 57 and 58: MOVING FORWARD While youth describe
Page 59 and 60: 1.5 HARMFUL SOCIETAL BELIEFS & VALU
Page 61 and 62: “A lot of systems are still set u
Page 63 and 64: ADDRESSING ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERI
Page 65 and 66: WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? 2. SYSTEMS PREV
Page 67 and 68: 2.1 EDUCATION For young people who
Page 69 and 70: 2. Professional Training For the mo
Page 71 and 72: Investments • Provide significant
Page 73 and 74: “Educating teachers, principals,
Page 75 and 76: Experiences in Foster Care Many you
Page 77 and 78: Difficult Transitions from Care Tra
Page 79 and 80: “My parents were good enough at l
Page 81 and 82: 2.3 HEALTHCARE & ADDICTIONS For you
Page 83 and 84: An additional issue raised by many
Page 85 and 86: MOVING FORWARD Without a Home: The
Page 87 and 88: 2.4 YOUTH HOMELESSNESS SECTOR In fo
Page 89 and 90: “Requirements to access help some
Page 91 and 92: “Yeah, when I first moved in [to
Page 93 and 94: PREVENTING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IN TH
Page 95 and 96:
While the recommendations below can
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2.5 CRIMINAL JUSTICE A common conce
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PREVENTING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS IN TH
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MOVING FORWARD Canadian research sh
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WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? 3. PREVENTING I
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ADDRESSING FAMILY CONFLICT, ABUSE,
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“This is real. We did not choose
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Lack of services and supports also
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MOVING FORWARD Youth across the cou
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ADDRESSING SOCIAL EXCLUSION & ISOLA
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“I’m just trying to say that, i
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ADDRESSING VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNIT
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YOUTH’S MESSAGES TO ALL LEVELS OF
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We need to dramatically shift our a
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RECOMMENDATIONS 1 GOVERNMENT OF CAN
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5. Align ministerial, departmental,
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2. Embed youth homelessness prevent
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INTEGRATED GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS 1. W
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3. Require that all school boards a
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5. Offer comprehensive, youth-focus
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8. Systematically investigate and e
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Provincial/Territorial Ministries R
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6. Seek to provide highly integrate
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3. Foster meaningful youth engageme
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Gaetz, S., O’Grady, B., Kidd, S.,
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Statistics Canada. (2011). National
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COH-AWH-What_Would_it_Take

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