Organizations Working to Combat Youth Homelessness
- Power to the Youth Toronto
- Dec 13, 2022
- 3 min read
Youth Without Shelter (YWS) is a charity offering shelter support for youth in the GTA facing homelessness. It was founded in 1986 and is focused on youth aged between 16 and 24. YWS is located in North Etobicoke. The shelter is a house where youths can receive many things, like mental health support, and their needs are understood. The YWS has different programs.
There is a residential program that accommodates up to 33 youths each night. The program provides crisis counselling, safe shelter, nutritious food, new clothing, and hygiene products.
Another example is the Stay in School Program. The program offers 20-bed long-term transitional housing. It has a safe and stable environment with support and guidance from qualified staff. Youths can receive guidance from a professional team, case management, one-on-one tutoring, mentorship program, transit fares and textbooks, referral to scholarships and bursaries to cover educational costs, school supplies, and their own study space. Youths are responsible for maintaining their grades, attending school regularly, and completing household chores. 53% of homeless youth in Canada drop out of school early, compared to 9% of the non-homeless population.
There is a Life Skills program that trains youths in life skills like communication skills, grocery shopping, learning how to cook, meal planning, nutrition, maintaining personal hygiene, time management, budgeting, and financial management. 40% of youths were younger than 16 when they first experienced homelessness, so this program helps them acquire the skills they need for independent living.
The Employment Program teaches skills needed to gain employment such as resume writing, interviewing, connections to training programs, career shadowing, and volunteer opportunities. They also assist with other issues like literacy and legal concerns, lack of financial resources, and access to appropriate foot and workwear. 75.7% of homeless youths are unemployed versus 13.3% for all of Canada, and 50.5% of homeless youths are not currently involved in education, employment, or training.
The Housing and After Care program focuses on placing youths into stable, affordable housing and aims to prevent relapse back into homelessness. The program helps youths develop relationships with landlords and assist in housing searches and various applications. Youths are taught skills like eviction prevention, landlord mediation, tenant rights, and Ontario Works welfare processes. It offers social and mental health support even after receiving housing.
The Mental Health Program provides mental health support upon request or referral for current and former residents at the shelter. They support youth through in-person counselling, virtual meetings, or text messaging. 49% of youths struggling with homelessness struggle with their mental health.
Lastly, the Educational Outreach program has interactive workshops delivered at schools in the GTA, breaking down stereotypes and myths about homelessness and building knowledge and empathy. Almost 11,000 youths have been reached in 5 years (2014-2019).
Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth provides shelter, transitional housing, and health and well-being programming. Like with YWS, Eva’s supports young people aged 16 to 24. The front-line team uses anti-black racism and anti-oppression lenses to emphasize helping black youth [who have historically and continually been underserved in social services.
Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth has many programs. Health and Wellbeing [Harm Reduction] educate youths on substance use and ensures youths are accepted despite their past substance use. SPOT Program (the Satellite Peer Outreach Training) is where peers, with substance use backgrounds, teach other peers about safer drug use strategies, reducing risks of sexually transmitted infections, and increasing healthy lifestyle choices.
The Training and Employment program provides homeless youths with skills-based training. They teach them skills like resume and cover letter writing. The program assists youths in job searching and applications. Youths receive support for at least 6 months after being employed.
There is a Print Shop. A digital printer that reduces youth homelessness. It supports youths looking for a job in that sector (people in the community are helping with printing). The profits go to the shelter, food, caring support, and basic needs at the shelter.
Like Skills program teaches life skills, like financial literacy, cooking and nutrition, housing access, interpersonal skills, and recreation. This ensures youths can maintain stable housing after leaving the shelter.
Lastly, the Family Reconnect program helps youth, between the ages of 14 and 24, to reconnect with family and maintain, re-establish, or expand healthy and supportive relationships with those they see as family. The program is for those who facing homelessness due to family issues.
There are three emergency shelters. One at 360 Lesmill Road, Toronto, ON, M3B 2T5. Another at 92 Peter Street, Toronto, ON, M5V 2F5. Lastly, at 60 Brant Street, Toronto, ON, M5V 3G9.
■ Emergency Shelters
● 360 Lesmill Road, Toronto, ON, M3B 2T5
● 92 Peter Street, Toronto, ON, M5V 2G5
● 60 Brant St, Toronto, ON M5V 3G9
Researcher: Lindsay Zhong
Editor: Elini Sothy
Published: Tuesday, December 13th 2022
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