Youth Homelessness Initiative
Across metro Vancouver, far too many youth are homeless or live in temporary, risky housing arrangements. On an average night, 400 young people under age 25 can be identified as absolutely homeless. Hundreds more make do with something, out of public sight.
As a community, we are coming to terms with the fact that the persistence of youth homelessness is not simply a product of individual choices but of a system that is currently incapable of helping all young people find the homes, resources and connections they need in their transitions to independence. In our design of solutions, we need to be better aware of early pathways into and out of homelessness, and find the will and resources to address the non-existent or woefully inadequate systems of care and support that lead young people to them.
Our goal is to end the experience of homelessness among former youth in care.
While pathways to homelessness may be as diverse as the young people experiencing it, certain sub-groups are over-represented.
As many as 40% of homeless youth are estimated to have been in government care. Our work, as well as that of many studies, reveals that these youth are particularly vulnerable to homelessness as they "age out" of the child welfare/government care system, and reach the age of majority. (In British Columbia, that's their 19th birthday).
Given the over-representation of former youth-in-care in our region's homeless and vulnerably housed population, we choose to focus Vancouver Foundation energies on the experience of youth, ages 14-24, who are or were in government care and are at risk of homelessness.
For more information on our Youth Homelessness Initiative:
Mark Gifford
Director, Grants and Community Initiatives
Vancouver Foundation
mark.gifford@vancouverfoundation.ca
Natalie Ord
Assistant, Grants and Community Initiatives
Vancouver Foundation
natalie.ord@vancouverfoundation.ca
Partners
Vancouver Foundation provided $500,000 to create an organization called Streetohome along with the City of Vancouver and the Province of B.C. Streetohome takes a different approach to homelessness – raising private money to help buy units of housing for people who are homeless.
Vancouver Foundation works with the Canada Mental Health Commission on a research project to determine how best to help mentally ill people who are homeless and struggling with addictions.
This four-year project plans to house and provide support for 300 homeless people in our city, in order to determine the most effective strategies to help them stay off the streets and reintegrate into society.
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Donate to help end
youth homelessness and we'll TRIPLE YOUR GIFT.
For a limited time, Vancouver Foundation will be able to triple your gift to our Youth Homelessness Initative Fund. Find out more here.
SUCCESS STORIES
No Place Like Home
A young couple with newborn went from couch surfing to a stable home of their own.
[ View Story ]
A Place to Unpack
Housing support helped Vanessa finish high school and stay off the streets.
[ View Story ]
A way home
Yosef Spivak has found a home and stability at the Broadway Youth Resource Centre.
[ View Story ]
