Project gets pre-emptive on youth homelessness
Exploring opportunities for a targeted, early intervention is the premise behind a program called Addressing Youth Homelessness Through a Prevention Framework.
The initiative, led by the Greater Victoria Coalition to End Homelessness, brings together all the stakeholders that deal with the issue.
“Tackling youth homelessness has to be a collaborative process,” said Kelly Roth, the youth project co-ordinator. “That’s because everyone’s responsible. It’s not something that just one [agency] can address. The Addressing Youth Homelessness Through a Prevention Framework initiative explores what’s broken — and what’s missing.”
The program will support a range of activities under the purview of the Youth Task Force, with a focus on early intervention.
It will guide the region in piloting a school-based youth-at-risk identification and assessment tool that will connect youth at risk to appropriate school-based, community-based or clinical-support services.
This will reduce the number of youth experiencing homelessness and the duration of a youth homelessness episode.
Youth homelessness is sometimes hidden in the broader homelessness issue. Youth also don’t identify themselves as homeless because of social stigma or because they find temporary accommodation, as when they are couch-surfing.
“Often the kids are treated as if they were invisible,” said Emily Jackson, a youth project co-ordinator who is in contact with the youth. “They cite a lack of emotional support as one of the primary reasons they are at risk of homelessness. They feel isolated, and we need to reach them before the time of intervention is past.”
Funding by the Victoria Foundation allows the program to hire a full-time co-ordinator who brings together the various regional agencies serving the homeless — from the perspective of youth.
“We’re bringing people together to deliver the appropriate variety of support available to youth,” said Roth.
For more information, go to victoriahomelessness.ca.