This is the 45th in a series of columns written by staff from The Lighthouse to help the community better understand people experiencing homelessness and those who support them. This column appears every other Monday.
Youth homelessness is a significant issue that has profound impacts for individuals as they experience these challenges during formative years of their lives.
Like all of The Lighthouse’s programs, youth services are about more than just providing a shelter or an immediate response to crises. We use a holistic, housing-focused approach to support youth as they seek to access safe, affordable housing that they will be able to maintain on a long-term basis.
The Lighthouse’s youth services provide support for individuals between the ages of 16 and 24. The youth wing in the emergency shelter has eight beds and is staffed 24/7 to ensure continued support. Youth outreach meets youth where they are in the community to build rapport, meet immediate needs by providing basic necessities, and provide referrals to additional resources and community partners.
Although the youth we serve are young adults, some have been experiencing homelessness for years. Youth may couch surf and stay at friends’ places for extended periods of time. They do what they need to in order to survive, sometimes engaging in harmful behaviours because it is what they see as available to them in order to make it through or cope with their current situations.
Understanding why youth end up at The Lighthouse is essential to providing support. For many, family dynamics are the primary factor. Conflict, broken relationships and sometimes unsafe living conditions mean they are no longer able to stay with family. For others, a history of addiction in the family can make it impossible to maintain a stable home life. Generational homelessness and poverty also play a role, with some youth coming from families who have experienced episodic homelessness for generations. Mental health challenges, trauma, and involvement in the justice or foster care systems often add to the challenges youth face.
Our youth services operate with the priorities of housing, health, education and employment. In order to ensure youth have the tools and resources to maintain housing once it’s been secured, The Lighthouse team seeks to help youth build the life skills they need. This includes educating youth on their rights and responsibilities as tenants, supporting them to move forward with their personal goals, or offering referrals to additional resources in the community. While many of the youth don’t act on referrals on their own because they haven’t had the life experience or don’t have the confidence to engage with services or ask for help, The Lighthouse team works hard to show them it’s OK to reach out and that support is available.
Strong community partnerships allow us to create a comprehensive system of wraparound services that support long-term success. Whether it’s Family Connexions, Indigenous services organizations, Agilec employment services, the John Howard Youth Justice Program, the Elizabeth Fry Society’s rapid rehousing, or many others, we work to connect youth with the individualized resources they need.
Another vital partnership is with the Simcoe County District School Board. By equipping teachers and staff with resources and information as well as providing direct support to high school students at risk of or experiencing homelessness, this is a key partnership in preventing youth homelessness.
Connections made within the community are also integral to youths’ well-being. Meaningful connections support their resilience and ability to maintain their housing. We strive to create opportunities for youth to volunteer with other organizations in the community. This gives them a chance to learn responsibility and develop a sense of purpose. They are also able to build relationships with others as well as develop employment skills that will serve them in other areas of their lives.
Working together as a community, we are able to provide a comprehensive system of care that can prevent youth from falling through the gaps into homelessness or make their experience of homelessness as short as possible.
Linda Goodall is the executive director at The Lighthouse and can be reached at [email protected].
Rosemary Petersen is the managing director at The Lighthouse and can be reached at [email protected].