A Way Home: Planning to End Youth Homelessness in Kamloops Carmin Mazzotta Social and Community Development Supervisor City of Kamloops

…an opportunity Pilot community in a national initiative to end youth homelessness

Jan 2013 – visioning session with all of the key stakeholders “youth should be involved in every step of the process”

“novel idea” Put out a call, create a youth-led committee 3 credit crash course on homelessness 3 credit crash course on research ethics Focus groups and interviews…

…and – Voila.

Let’s back up…

Then…. Challenges: 3 credit crash course idea and then adults step out of the way so as not to interfere with this entirely youth-led process…. …didn’t work

Reframing: Youth-Adult Partnership

Consultation process: Focus groups with homeless and at risk youth in the community

Consultation process: Key interviews with front line social workers who were still youth themselves (25 or under)

Media and public engagement: Short film on reflections of the process Participation in community events

Plan drafted, shared with key stakeholders, youth participants, MCFD

And then…. enter the grassroots Youth Supportive Housing Committee Committee decided to adopt the plan as their own and became the A Way Home Committee Perfect marriage: a grassroots committee, and a plan to provide a strategic framework and structure to guide the committee’s actions

Launch event Over 100 people in attendance Media, politicians, community leaders, front line staff, former youth in care

A Way Home – “Rooted in action:” Acadia youth housing with wraparound supports CHBA partnership Youth homelessness coordinator