Youth Homelessness
You might not always see it, but homelessness does exist in St. Thomas & Elgin County.
At any given time, it is estimated that there are approximately 100 homeless youth, ages 16 - 24, living in St. Thomas & Elgin County. These youth face barriers to education, employment and are much more likely to be homeless again in their future. In an effort to support youth experiencing homelessness and prevent youth from entering the homeless serving system, the Community Action Network launched the Youth Homelessness Protocol in 2014. This protocol is a system approach to linking homeless youth with the services they need in effort to end the youth's homelessness within 30 days.
History of the Protocol
Over the past ten years, increasing attention has been paid to the issues of poverty, housing affordability and unemployment in the City of St. Thomas & Elgin County. Through various studies and public engagement initiatives, it was becoming evident that a community strategy focused on youth homelessness was needed. In 2012, the Community Action Network for Children & Youth Elgin (then acting as the CCCYE) hired a consulting company, OrgCode Consulting , to study the issue and make recommendations on how the community could better respond. Click here to view the Responding to Youth Homelessness in St. Thomas & Elgin County report. The key recommendation of the report was the creation of an integrated community response protocol which was launched in 2014.
Impact Evaluation
Click here to read the Impact Evaluation of Protocol and Intensive Housing-Based Case Management and an infographic illustrating some of the results.
Click here to learn about how the protocol works and how you can help a youth at-risk of homelessness.
At any given time, it is estimated that there are approximately 100 homeless youth, ages 16 - 24, living in St. Thomas & Elgin County. These youth face barriers to education, employment and are much more likely to be homeless again in their future. In an effort to support youth experiencing homelessness and prevent youth from entering the homeless serving system, the Community Action Network launched the Youth Homelessness Protocol in 2014. This protocol is a system approach to linking homeless youth with the services they need in effort to end the youth's homelessness within 30 days.
History of the Protocol
Over the past ten years, increasing attention has been paid to the issues of poverty, housing affordability and unemployment in the City of St. Thomas & Elgin County. Through various studies and public engagement initiatives, it was becoming evident that a community strategy focused on youth homelessness was needed. In 2012, the Community Action Network for Children & Youth Elgin (then acting as the CCCYE) hired a consulting company, OrgCode Consulting , to study the issue and make recommendations on how the community could better respond. Click here to view the Responding to Youth Homelessness in St. Thomas & Elgin County report. The key recommendation of the report was the creation of an integrated community response protocol which was launched in 2014.
Impact Evaluation
Click here to read the Impact Evaluation of Protocol and Intensive Housing-Based Case Management and an infographic illustrating some of the results.
Click here to learn about how the protocol works and how you can help a youth at-risk of homelessness.