News for June, 2009

Feature: Raising the Roof Delivers Road to Solutions for Youth Homelessness

National

After three years of comprehensive research with at-risk and homeless youth across Canada, Raising the Roof has released Youth Homelessness in Canada: The Road to Solutions. President Sean Gadon and Executive Director Jennifer Parnell thanked the Youthworks Board of Advisors for its leadership, advice, support and direction during the development of this important report.

“It is our hope that the report will serve as a catalyst to engage stakeholders across Canada in implementing real and lasting solutions to youth homelessness,” said Gadon.

“We are committed to championing the recommendations – including actions related to skills training, employment and mentorship opportunities for at-risk youth.”
The recommendations focus on three key aspects of an effective response to youth homelessness: prevention, emergency response, and transitions out of homelessness. They are based on the premise that youth-serving agencies and their community based partners in government, private and non-profit sectors know what works best in their communities across the country; and that stability and long-term employment are proven positive factors in helping young people move away from the street.

Authored by Jeff Evenson, Principal, CONNECTOR, the strategy and engagement practice of the Canadian Urban Institute and Carolann Barr, Director of Research and Community Initiatives, Raising the Roof, the report includes a Community Checklist tool to aid in assessing and developing services to meet local needs.

On April 28, the findings and recommendations of the report were presented to the Homelessness Partnering Secretariat in Ottawa. The report has been forwarded for consideration and action by the federal, provincial and territorial ministers, Youthworks agency partners, participants of the 2008 national conference – Partners Solving Youth Homelessness, Eva’s Initiatives Learning Community, the Canadian Homelessness Research Network, agencies across Canada and other Raising the Roof partners.

Subsequent to the 2008 Partners Solving Youth Homelessness conference, Raising the Roof facilitated the development of a National Youth Homelessness Network. Network members – who currently represent more than 30 youth-serving agencies across Canada – are actively engaged in ongoing collaboration on solutions to youth homelessness.

“Uncertain economic times have the very real potential to exacerbate this crisis,” the report states.

“There is no better time to act than now.”

An electronic copy of the report and a summary are both available in English and French on the Raising the Roof website at www.raisingtheroof.org.

Community Spotlight: Laing House Recognized for its Commitment to Youth with Mental Illness

Halifax, NS

Three winners were announced in April for Eva’s Initiatives Award for Innovation for their outstanding work with homeless youth. In its fourth year, the Eva’s Initiatives Award for Innovation is generously sponsored by CIBC. Each winning organization received a prize of $5,000.
One of this year’s winners is the Laing House Association in Halifax, Nova Scotia for its unique, first of its kind program in Canada dedicated to empowering youth with mental illness—Youth Speak: Breaking Down Stigma One Classroom at a Time. Launched in 2003, the program helps youth rebuild their lives and learn how to effectively manage their illness.

Laing House is community-based, youth-focused and youth-directed. Laing House is dedicated to providing critical support and access to resources that are not available through the formal mental health care system. It is focused on improving lives and supporting healthy outcomes for youth 16 to 30 years.
Through strong community partnerships, Laing House programs offer “hope, possibility, and support needed to achieve recovery.” Laing House seeks to reduce isolation, and to address needs in relation to education, employment, peer groups, healthy lifestyles and independent living.

The Kirby Report on Mental Health, Out of the Shadows At Last, specifically recommends that students be educated in school about mental illness and its prevention. It also suggests that the Canadian Mental Health Commission work closely with educators to develop appropriate promotion campaigns in order to reduce stigma and discrimination. “Youth Speak is a proven program that focuses on these recommendations,” organizers say.

Utilizing a peer to peer education approach, this program encourages dialogue about youth mental health issues. It reaches out to a vulnerable at-risk population.
Youth Speak was developed with input and consultation from members to address the issues that mental health consumers face. Members produced a short video depicting a young man’s experience with mental illness. They wrote, directed, video tapped and edited the film and it is now being incorporated into Youth Speak presentations.
“Coming here has taken the shame away – there is an expectation out in the community that you don’t discuss these things – I’ve learned how empowering struggles can be – it’s taken away the victim in me…,” said a member of Laing House.

The main goals of the program are:
• to increase knowledge and understanding around mental illness
• to reduce stigma and isolation
• to develop and/or strengthen facilitators’ public speaking ability, stress management skills and communication style
• to encourage participants to seek help
• to highlight available resources and treatments
• to develop a community asset – a group of young adults who are skilled at speaking publicly on mental health issues
• to educate the community about the resources available at Laing House.

News Briefs: CHRA Appoints Editor of Youth House

Ottawa

Canadian Housing Renewal Association (CHRA) announced the appointment of Kwende Kefentse who will be developing CHRA’s Youth House as a space for youth to get engaged about affordable housing issues. Kwende is a student at Carleton University who spends his time DJing, writing for the Ottawa Xpress, working for CKCU FM and blogging.

News Briefs: Toronto Housing Charter Recognizes Unique Needs of Youth

The opportunity for every resident to obtain safe, secure affordable housing throughout Toronto would be recognized under a proposed new Toronto Housing Charter, a key component of the Housing Opportunities Toronto (HOT) Action Plan 2010-2020. The Toronto Housing Charter – Opportunity for All would be the first of its kind in Canada and recognizes the unique needs of youth. The action plan, which will be debated by council in July, will be supported by Good Homes-Good Neighbours, a new guide for councilors that will provide tips and resources to foster affordable housing initiatives at the local level.