65,000 Homeless Youth
|
| updated May 1, 2010 |
|
Workable Solutions to a Canadian Crisis
|
|
 Introduction
R aising the Roof is Canada's only national charity dedicated to long-term solutions to homelessness.
We:
- Fund local, grassroots agencies working to alleviate homelessness in their communities;
- Build awareness among Canadians about the true nature of homelessness today and educate them about how to prevent it in the future;
- Build partnerships by giving people, corporations and organizations the opportunity to participate in solutions. We have had a particular focus on youth homelessness, and in 2006 we launched our Youthworks initiative – a national initiative aimed at breaking the cycle of homelessness among young Canadians, and supporting them to build a better future.
Based on the need to better understand the issue of youth homelessness, we undertook a three-year research project of tracking and describing the experiences of 700 street-involved youth in three Canadian cities – Calgary, Toronto and St. John’s. The project findings and considerable subsequent expert feedback on those findings have enabled us to develop a snapshot of youth homelessness in Canada today. The report Youth Homelessness in Canada: The Road to Solutions focuses on three essential service and support system components that address the complex needs of street-involved youth: prevention, emergency response and transitions out of homelessness. It also outlines Key Recommendations for long-term solutions to youth homelessness and has a suggested Community Checklist tool, which helps communities to assess local needs and priorities within a national framework.
|
|
|
Key findings from the report:
- Youth homelessness is a national crisis and there is a critical need for a comprehensive plan to address the issue.
- There are long-term solutions, such as ensuring that investments in programs are long-term and stable. This will help current successful programs continue and allow new innovative programs to develop.
- Investing strategically in solutions to youth homelessness makes sound social and economic sense.
Raising the Roof calls on Canadians to please support solutions to youth homelessness:
- Read the Youth Homelessness in Canada: The Road to Solutions report and bring it to the attention of your MP, employer and local community group. Download a copy of the full report and a summary in both English and French on our website www.raisingtheroof.org
- Show your support for solutions to youth homelessness and help bring attention to the issues. Visit www.raisingtheroof.org and add you name to show your support for the report recommendations and the establishment of a National Youth Homelessness Awareness day
- Buy a toque during our national Toque Campaign and “Help put a cap on youth homelessness.”
|
|
Do you know a colleague who would be interested in this ? Click on the  button (top left) |
|
|
 . . . 
|
|
What are you doing to address and prevent youth homelessness? - Carolann Barr
|
|
| What are your thoughts? Send us your comments using the postform below: |
|
|
