It is absolutely critical that any approach to preventing and ending homelessness include considerations for Canada’s youngest populations. We know that almost half (44%) of individuals experiencing homelessness in this country first experienced it before the age of 25. A staggering 40% had their first experience before the age of 16. Family members and members of their extended support network, such as a teacher, coach or Elder, can play a crucial role in preventing or ending their homelessness.
For most young people, there is at least one adult in their lives who is important to them and cares about them. Alongside our community partners, we developed the Family and Natural Supports (FNS) approach to help young people who are homeless − or at risk of becoming homeless − strengthen their relationships with family and other meaningful adults. By building up a young person’s support network, we can, in turn, enhance their mental health and well-being while equipping them with the necessary resources to stay in school, access training, and attain employment as they move into adulthood.
Since 2017, our Making the Shift Youth Homelessness Demonstration Lab (MtS DEMS) has implemented FNS across Canada, including British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland and Labrador, totalling 15 sites. Our learnings have allowed us to strengthen the program and practice model and build evidence around the value and universal application of the FNS approach.
Similarly, our findings from three Housing First for Youth (HF4Y) MtS DEMS sites in Ontario suggest that the HF4Y program is successful in meeting the specific needs of young people experiencing homelessness and helping them transition to stable and productive adulthood. These findings underscore the importance of allocating resources to youth homelessness prevention and the lasting positive impact prevention approaches can have on youth.
Now, we’re pleased to announce that we have received $841,765 in funding from the federal government through Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy to share our learnings and build up the capacity of Community Entities and service providers to deliver youth homelessness prevention interventions, such as Family and Natural Supports and Housing First for Youth, in their communities.
“Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home, and this project will go a long way in ensuring that young people in vulnerable conditions have the support they need.” said the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada.
The project, which began on May 27, 2024, and will continue until March 31, 2026, focuses on developing a robust youth homelessness and prevention toolkit for Community Entities. We are pleased to be working with the communities of Regina, Saskatchewan, and Durham Region, Ontario to develop this important resource. In addition, the project will also allow us to provide training and technical assistance to help communities understand and implement effective, evidence-based interventions to address and prevent youth homelessness.
The project will be carried out by A Way Home Canada in collaboration with the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH), our Indigenous partners, select Community Entities and dozens of organizations across Canada.
Stay tuned for further updates on this project and for additional tools and resources to come.