COH-AWH-What_Would_it_Take

More broadly, youth also felt some homelessness
agencies lacked a sense of urgency in their
response to youth homelessness, and that staff
were sometimes slow to respond.
Fortunately, many youth also described the
profoundly impactful support they received from
social service providers, in some cases crediting
those providers with their lives. Youth especially
appreciated when agencies emphasized: low-barriers,
acceptance, a sense of belonging and community,
safety from stigmatization and violence, space to
heal and grow, flexibility, respect, no time limits or
timelines for accessing service, personal expression,
and ensuring youth have control over their own lives.
“When I was on the streets there was a very laisse faire attitude when you’re a
new youth that was homeless. And it’s very easy to just be put into the system and
forgotten, and I think it should be encouraged that the ground-level staff create
a community vibe of, ‘You’re here, but you need to get out of here.’ … Like when I
first became homeless, I thought someone was going to pull me aside and be like,
‘What are you doing here?’ No one did. It can be forgotten the second we accept the
homeless lifestyle and the culture as the norm. You always have to have that frantic,
sort of like, ‘Let’s get you the hell out of here when you first come.’”
EDMONTON YOUTH
WHAT WOULD IT TAKE? 92