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Youth Homelessness Moving from Crisis to Prevention Reimagining our response to Youth Homelessness Stephen Gaetz Director Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Professor, Faculty of Education, York University Ending Youth Homelessness National Conference 2016 Part 1 Understanding Youth Homelessness How are youth different from the adult homelessness population? • Age • Adolescent development • Experience • Dependency and supports Loss When we let young people become homeless … When we let young people become homeless … • Health worsens • Mental health declines • Exploitation • Greater risk of addictions • Involvement with the law • Dropping out of school • Trauma and criminal victimization • Entrenchment in live on the streets Part 2 Focusing on Homelessness Prevention Responding to homelessness in Canada Emergency Housing Prevention and Response Supports Where we want to get to … Housing EmergencyEmergency Housing and Prevention Response and Response SupportsSupports Dominant Paradigm • Housing First • Plans to END homelessness • Targeting the chronically homeless Solving Homelessness 2.0 Prevention? Public Health model of prevention Primary Secondary Tertiary Prevention Prevention Prevention Primary 1 Prevention Working upstream to prevent new cases Addressing Risk Three Approaches: 1. Broad, population-based approaches 2. Targeted strategies aimed at ‘at risk’ individuals and families 3. Systems Prevention: Stemming flow from institutional care and service systems 1 Population-based 1 strategies Addressing Structural Inequality • Poverty Reduction strategies • Addressing interpersonal violence and neglect • Anti -discrimination work • Investment in social and health services and supports Address the lack of Affordable Housing Address the social and economic exclusion of Indigenous peoples Percentage of homeless population that is Indigenous in select Canadian cities. Belanger, et al. 2012 12 Targeted Strategies Aimed at sub-populations who are at higher risk of homelessness • Interpersonal violence interventions • School-based programs • Family mediation • Income supports • Assisting marginalized & excluded populations to access services and supports Why do SCHOOLS matter? Unfortunately, family is often framed as a problem and as part of a young person’s past. Why do SCHOOLS matter? Service System Reform for the prevention of of youth homelessness and disengagement from education 1. Population Screening: Identification of students at risk 2. Flexible Service Delivery: A 3-Tier Response 3. Outcomes/Evaluation 1 System Prevention 3 Stemming the flow of individuals leaving institutional care “Zero Discharge into Homelessness” Discharge Planning & Supports Secondary 2 Prevention Early intervention strategies to support those who are at imminent risk, or who have recently become homeless Early intervention for youth Shelter Diversion RAFT Niagara Resource Service for Youth A chance for a ‘time out’ Tertiary 3 Prevention Stopping homelessness from happening again! Housing First Transitional Housing for YOUTH! and Supports www.homelesshub.ca Part 3 Soooooo…. How do we get here? things you need to do Develop a Plan 1 EVERY LOCAL AUTHORITY will have a plan to prevent, reduce and end youth homelessness Some communities are seeing real reductions in homelessness • Vancouver – 66% reduction in street homelessness since 2008 • Calgary – 11% reduction since 2008 • Edmonton – 30% reduction since 2008 • Lethbridge – 55% reduction since 2010 Several provinces are making headway Adopt a Youth 2 Development focus TIME! Gear responses to the needs of the developing adolescent and young adult. Acknowledge and address A Conceptual Shift is required! The focus should be on successful Transitions to ADULTHOOD NOT Transitions to independence The importance of 3 Systems Integration Government and Funders MainstreamHomelessness Unusual Services Service Suspects • Health Providers • Landlords • Education • Police • Corrections • Private • Child Sector protection Service Integration 4 Recognizing the role of All levels of government Federal c Aboriginal c Provincial c Municipal c Solving youth homelessness is NOT solely the responsibility of the sector Youth Homelessness is a Fusion Policy Issue Incorporate 5 research, data gathering and information sharing Planning and implementation is a change management exercise Questions or comments? .
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