In 2006, after extensive strategic planning and community consultations, Raising the Roof launched a national initiative – Youthworks - to help solve youth homelessness. We believe that the greatest opportunity to prevent long-term chronic homelessness is to address the issue when people are young.
Based on three years of research and consultation across Canada, we have authored Youth Homelessness in Canada: The Road to Solutions – a significant research report that describes the experiences of 689 street-involved youth in three Canadian cities - Calgary, Toronto and St. John’s. The project findings, along with invaluable feedback on those findings from service providers, researchers, policy makers and many other stakeholders, have enabled Raising the Roof to develop a snapshot of youth homelessness in Canada today.
Full Version of Report
Summary
For more information on Youthworks click here
En se basant sur trois années de recherches et de consultations effectuées partout au Canada, nous avons rédigé L’itinérance chez les jeunes au Canada : en route vers des solutions, un rapport de recherche important qui décrit les expériences de 689 jeunes de la rue dans trois villes canadiennes, soit Calgary, Toronto et St. John’s. Les résultats de ce projet, lesquels sont appuyés par des commentaires de très grande valeur faits par des prestataires de services, des chercheurs, des décideurs et bien d’autres intervenants, ont permis à Chez Toit de mettre au point une image du jeune sans-abri d’aujourd’hui au Canada.
Combining healthy exercise and positive energy, students of W. H. Morden Public School in Oakville, Ontario, came together to raise funds in support of Youthworks, Raising the Roof’s initiative to break the cycle of youth homelessness in Canada. Having raised over $7,000 – triple their goal – the experience, named Oms For Homes, has been an eye opener for most of the W.H. Morden grade 5/6 gifted class. Each student was given a job to help create this special day. By taking part in different areas of planning the fundraiser (e.g. finance, marketing, organizing, etc.) the students also gained a unique learning experience about ways they can make a difference in support of homeless young Canadians.
Rachelle Marsan, teacher in charge and yoga enthusiast, created this first annual Oms For Homes, and hopes to see it become an annual event, spread to other schools throughout Oakville and Ontario. “If you get together and organize, you can make a difference,” said Marsan. Throughout the day, the entire 404-student body of the JK – 8 school practiced yoga exercises on brightly coloured mats donated by the teachers of Kula Yoga in Oakville, while lead by Kula Yoga Instructor, Kinndli McCollum. “It was like taking what you learned at school and putting it into real life,” said Jenna D’Aurizio, W.H. Morden student.
For more information on how your class can study and explore issues around youth homelessness in Canada or to mount your own school fundraiser, please contact Maureen Deery, Director of National Campaigns, Raising the Roof, or 416-489-9531.
