Exploring the Escalating Issue of Youth Homelessness in York Region
Andrea Laturski
There is an increasing awareness of the issue of youth homelessness in York Region. The perception of youth homelessness was generally limited to large Canadian cities, however, studies have shown that the routes leading to youth homelessness are the same whether one lives in an urban or rural area (Noble et al., 2014). According to the Canadian government 'youth homelessness' refers to circumstances in which young people are "living independently of parents and/or caregivers, but lack the means or ability to acquire a stable, safe, or consistent residence” (Abramovich & Pang, 2020, p. 9). Youth homelessness is frequently characterized by tenuous and unstable housing. Youth often reside in a variety of temporary locations after leaving home, including parks, couches, friends, and emergency shelters (Noble et al., 2014). On average, youth first depart from their homes at the age of 18, however, a noteworthy discovery from a CAMH study revealed that 28% of participants left home at 16 years old or even earlier (Abramovich & Pang, 2020). This observation holds significance, as research indicates that youth who leave home at younger ages tend to encounter greater challenges in the long term, often experiencing multiple episodes of homelessness (Abramovich & Pang, 2020).The journey into homelessness for each young person is distinctive, intricate, and influenced by multiple factors. Among the prominent pathways identified by youth participants in York Region is family conflict, encompassing rejection based on LGBTQ2S identity (Abramovich & Pang, 2020). Various reasons contribute to family discord, including abuse—where 63% of homeless youth have undergone some form of childhood trauma and abuse—mental health issues, and challenges related to alcohol and substance use—approximately 65% of youth experiencing homelessness come from families grappling with substance abuse (Youth without shelter, n.d.).
References
Abramovich A., & Pang N. (2020) Understanding LGBTQ2S Youth Homelessness in York Region. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. https://www.homelesshub.ca/sites/default/files/attachments/Report_LGBTQ2S_Youth_York_Region_Abramovich_Pang.pdf
Noble, A., Donaldson, J., Gaetz, S., Mirza, S., Coplan, I., & Fleischer, D. (2014). Leaving home: Youth homelessness in York Region. Homeless Hub. https://www.homelesshub.ca/resource/leaving-home-youth-homelessness-york-region
Youth without shelter. (n.d.). Who we are: Youth homelessness. https://yws.on.ca/who-we-are/youth-homelessness/