Youth experiencing homelessness may be in school, trying to do assignments and exams, and pushing to hold down a job. They may struggle to keep up with extracurricular activities and meeting at their places of worship.
You likely see these youth in your day to day life without even realizing it. Homelessness is a major barrier for youth trying to do their thing and it’s not that easy to spot. Young people are often part of the “hidden” homeless population. Think of how discouraging and hard homelessness makes life for youth as they try to get an education, keep a job, meet health needs, and stay connected with their communities and loved ones. What would eventually drop?
What will make the difference for homeless youth?
Youth with nowhere to live dream big. Homelessness and the harms that come with it are pulling them down. If they receive caring, holistic, and relevant support, they can soar. Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth is here for them. We offer the safe shelter they need today and the educational support, employment training, community connection, and life skill building they need to thrive tomorrow.
Let’s believe in youth and help them move from hidden homelessness to bright futures! Support youth at Eva’s to survive and thrive.
About Eva’s
Eva’s is an award-winning organization that provides shelter, transitional housing, and programming to help homeless and at-risk youth reach their potential to lead productive, self-sufficient, and healthy lives. Every Day, Eva’s provides shelter/housing for 123 young people aged 16 to 24.
Youth Homelessness Facts
- An estimated 35,000-40,000 youth experience homelessness in Canada every year. Many young people who experience homelessness are part of the ‘invisible’ or ‘hidden’ homeless population, and as a result, homeless services and supports are less likely to reach them.
- Homelessness creates high risk of dropout for youth. 65% of homeless youth report not finishing high school, compared to only 9% of youth in the general population. But 73.9% of homeless youth who drop out report a strong desire to go back to school.
- Lack of housing makes it difficult for youth to establish a routine, provide potential employers with an address on job applications, or rest and recover from daily stresses. Youth without housing often lack the food, clothing, and other supports to maintain employment.
- Timing is important. The longer youth are homeless, the more they are exposed to risks of sexual and economic exploitation and the more likely they are to experience trauma, declining health, nutritional vulnerability, and addictions.
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Sources:
S. Gaetz, B. O’Grady, S. Kidd, and Kaitlin Schwan. 2016. Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness; A Way Home Canada; National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness.
J. Boivin, N. Haley, G. Galbaud du Fort, and Elise Roy. 2005. The health of street youth: a Canadian perspective. Canadian Journal of Public Health. 96(6), p. 432-437.