NEWS — Together with the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH) and our Making the Shift Youth Homelessness Social Innovation Lab, A Way Home Canada has released new, evidence-informed resources to help communities prevent youth homelessness before it begins.
A Proven Approach, Adapted for Canada
Reconnect is a school-based early-intervention model that embeds trained youth workers directly into schools to identify early warning signs of homelessness and deliver timely, tailored supports needed to help youth at risk stay connected to their families, education, and housing stability.
Developed and scaled widely in Australia, where it now operates through more than 70 organizations across 100+ sites supporting over 7,000 youth each year, the Reconnect model has since been adapted and piloted in Hamilton, Calgary, and St. John’s through our Making the Shift Youth Homelessness Social Innovation Lab, showing strong results in Canadian communities.
“Students and families come to schools for help. This program brings that help into our building and removes the expectation on teaching staff to know all the answers.” – Trellis Society, School Partner
Why Schools?
Schools are where young people spend most of their time—and they are uniquely positioned to notice early signs of housing instability, disengagement, or family stress. By integrating skilled youth workers and coordinated supports into schools, Reconnect transforms schools into the front-line for prevention, ensuring youth get help before they lose their connection to housing.
“Our Reconnect coworkers bring community into our school. They know how to support youth and their families with basic needs, housing, and physical and mental health supports. They help us, as education staff, recognize youth who may need community assistance and what supports are available to them.” – Choices for Youth, School Partner
“This program fosters community and builds upon our academic and community goals.” — School Partner
New Resources to Scale Prevention
To make this model easier for communities to bring into practice, we’ve co-developed new resources with the COH based on insights from leadership, staff, and youth at Niwasa Kendaaswin Teg, Trellis Society, Choices for Youth and their school partnerships
1️⃣ Reconnect Program Model Guide & Manual — Outlines the conceptual framework and seven core program features and provides detailed guidance on implementation, staffing, partnerships, and includes case studies from Canadian pilot sites.
3️⃣ Reconnect 101 Online Training — Developed by the COH and available free through the Homelessness Learning Hub, this course helps deepen understanding of the model and its principles.
4️⃣ In-Person Reconnect Training & Technical Assistance (TTA) — Delivered by A Way Home Canada, supporting communities ready to adapt and implement the model.
Together, these tools give communities everything they need to implement Reconnect.
Why Prevention Matters
Each year, more than 35,000 young people in Canada experience homelessness. Intervening early—while youth are still connected to family and school—is one of the most effective and cost-efficient ways to prevent homelessness and improve long-term outcomes.
“My Reconnect worker was able to take me to appointments (I got new glasses) and set me up with transit passes. This helped me get to school—and to work.” — Trellis Society Youth
Access the Resources
Access the new Reconnect resources and start building a future where youth homelessness is prevented before it starts:
👉 Download the Reconnect Program Model Guide & Operations Manual
👉 Take the free Reconnect 101 training on the Homelessness Learning Hub
👉 For implementation support, contact:
Tanya McCagherty, Program Design & Training Consultant, A Way Home Canada
📧 tmccagherty@awayhome.ca