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With financial support from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), A Way Home Canada has had the opportunity over the past year to partner with Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Kelowna to explore how strengthening families and natural supports can improve education and employment outcomes for youth. 

Because of this funding, the Family and Natural Supports team and Foundry Works' employment team were able to come together to better support youth and families across two important areas of service. Through this partnership, A Way Home Canada and the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH) have been exploring how these two program models can work together to strengthen the lives of young people. 

The outcomes so far have been incredibly encouraging, and later this year the COH team will release research findings that reflect what has been learned through this work. 

Coordinated Care in Action: Integrating FNS and Foundry Works to Improve Youth Outcomes   

Building on this momentum, the leadership teams from FNS and Foundry Works came together to create READY, a six-week pilot cohort in Kelowna where Family and Natural Supports staff and employment specialists work collaboratively to support the youth they co-case manage in building the soft skills they need to succeed. 

Through this shared approach, staff identified that many youth needed support not only with employment readiness, but also with communication, emotional regulation, conflict management, workplace expectations, and confidence. The strength of integrating these 2 program models is that youth and families are supported by professionals working together in a coordinated way, without duplicating services. 

The READY cohort includes interactive sessions on topics such as:  

  • Financial literacy 
  • Workplace communication 
  • Boundaries 
  • Emotional regulation 
  • Problem solving 
  • De-escalation 
  • Internet safety 

Community partners including Launch Okanagan, Interior Health, CMHA, and the City of Kelowna are helping deliver this learning in practical and engaging ways. Youth on the Foundry waitlist are also invited to participate, ensuring they can access meaningful support while waiting for services. 

More than a skills program, READY is creating opportunities for youth to build confidence, strengthen relationships, and develop practical tools that support long-term success in education, employment, and life.