News for December, 2009

Feature: Raising the Roof Report Delivers Strategy for Long-Term Solutions to Youth Homelessness

National

The public release of Raising the Roof’s research/strategy report, Youth Homelessness in Canada: The Road to Solutions drew national media attention to youth homelessness, the “unacknowledged national crisis”, at a high-profile media event held at Dundas Square in Toronto on November 19th. The report’s findings – Canada is lagging behind Australia, the United States and Great Britain in solving youth homelessness as well as its nine recommendations for eliminating youth homelessness – were highlighted in newspapers, radio and television news programs across the country.

Based on interviews with some 700 street youth in Calgary, Toronto and St. John's, the report took over three years of research and consultation to complete. The report identifies three essential service categories for Canada’s 65,000 homeless youth: prevention, emergency response, and transitions from homelessness.

“Today, essentially, is a call to action,” Raising the Roof president Sean Gadon said during an interview with the Globe and Mail. “What we’re talking about is change and the need for a national action plan.”

The event also marked the beginning of Raising the Roof’s 13th Annual National Toque Campaign with complimentary toques being distributed to the first 200 attendees. These popular head warmers directly fund delivery agencies with their work. Toque Tuesday, February 2, 2010, stated Maureen Deery, Director of National Campaigns, is “Raising the Roof’s national Public Awareness Day”. We hope all Canadians will show their support for solutions to youth homelessness by buying a toque now and wearing it on Toque Tuesday.

Hosted by Raising the Roof President Sean Gadon, the launch of the report received the support of prominent corporate leaders and government in calling for solutions to youth homelessness.

Speakers at the event included Laurel Broten, Minister of Children and Youth Services; Janice Thomson, Executive Vice President, Direct Energy, Lead and Founding Partner in Raising the Roof’s Youthworks initiative; Sir Richard Branson, founder, The Virgin Group, Virgin Mobile Canada, Lead Partner in this year’s Toque Campaign.

Youth Homelessness in Canada: The Road to Solutions outlines the following key recommendations on what must be done to give street-involved youth the stability, opportunity and support they need to transition out of street life:

1. Existing funding: secure, long-term and flexible funding to enable successful programs for street-involved youth to continue to develop and grow;
2. Access to services: ‘one-stop’ barrier-free access to services for street-involved youth within their home community;
3. Education: more educational opportunities/grant programs for street-involved youth and increased programs that target early school leavers;
4. Employment: increased job training and employment opportunities for street-involved youth, in particular graduates of agency programs;
5. Housing: a national housing strategy that includes a continuum of housing specifically for street-involved youth, e.g., youth shelters, transitional housing, co-op housing, safe and affordable housing, as well as supportive housing for youth leaving child protection, foster care and group homes;
6. Mentorship: increased mentorship support aimed at street-involved youth to build self-esteem and develop life skills;
7. Government leadership: leadership and collaboration among federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments in developing a Canada-wide plan to address youth homelessness;
8. Private sector engagement: development of a supportive framework to encourage the private sector to participate in creative solutions to youth homelessness e.g., skills training, employment opportunities, development of supportive work environment;
9. Government policy: development of distinct policies around youth homelessness to address the unique needs of this population.

Please help to raise awareness of the serious issue of youth homelessness. Click here to show your support for the report’s recommendations AND to add your name to Raising the Roof’s request to the federal government to proclaim an annual National Youth Homelessness Awareness Day.

Community Spotlight: Youthworks Launches Second Phase in the Pursuit of Lasting Solutions to Youth Homelessness

National

Since 2006, Raising the Roof has been engaging Canadians in the pursuit of lasting solutions to youth homelessness through its groundbreaking Youthworks initiative. Funded by Direct Energy as Lead Partner, as well as a host of supporting partners, Youthworks’ first objective was to develop a thorough understanding of youth homelessness – its origins, causes and most effective remedies – as the basis for meaningful recommendations about what needs to be done to solve this national crisis.
Based on these key learnings, as captured in the report, Youth Homelessness in Canada: The Road to Solutions, Raising the Roof has recently embarked upon Phase II of Youthworks. The goal is to engage Canadians – individuals, corporations, communities, governments and youth themselves – in the pursuit of lasting solutions to youth homelessness. Specifically, the next phase of Youthworks focuses on:
• Engaging Communities and Governments – strategic collaboration with governments and community networks to create momentum for change;
• Engaging the Private Sector – developing and promoting replicable employment, mentorship and skills training programs for at-risk youth;
• Engaging Canadians – developing and launching a dynamic national public awareness campaign that educates Canadians about the true nature of youth homelessness as a foundation for government and corporate action around the issue.
For more information about Raising the Roof’s Youthworks initiative, visit www.raisingtheroof.org.

News Brief: Nurturing the Bodies and Minds of Homeless Youth in Scarborough

On the counter in the dining room of Second Base Youth Shelter in Scarborough stands a silver machine full of something ordinary in most homes, yet extraordinary in this one—it is a refrigerated milk dispenser full of icy cold 2 per cent milk, says a story in the Toronto Star. Executive director Paul Taylor says milk is essential for growing bodies and the young people (between the ages of 16 – 21) drink 20 litres a day.

Taking Action on Child Poverty

National

Campaign 2000 and seven of its provincial partners recently marked the 20th anniversary of the unanimous House of Commons’ all-party resolution to end child poverty in Canada with the release of special national and provincial report cards in various cities across the country. At the same time, there were countless special events being held in communities and provincial capitals calling for all levels of governments to take action. Find out how you can join in the efforts by visiting Campaign 2000’s Take Action page.