Many of the young people in Toronto are struggling to find peace, joy, and love not only this holiday season, but throughout the year. They do not have a place that they can call home. Up to 2,000 youth are homeless on any given night in Toronto. Homelessness is comprised of 11% young people, and 32% of people experiencing homelessness will have first experienced homelessness before the age of 16.
The causes of homelessness among young people are due to various factors. Family breakdown and conflict with parents are the primary reasons. Factors also include struggle with substance abuse, and some have experienced some form of trauma and abuse during their early childhood. Without early interventions, young people may continue to experience its impact, and they will be likely to become at risk of exploitation, violence, victimization, and suicide.
In 1986, a group of teachers and guidance counsellors saw the lack of safe, emergency housing and support programs for their students in need and decided to create Youth Without Shelter. Since that time YWS has helped thousands of youth experiencing homelessness to build their confidence and life-skills and to find long-term stable housing and jobs.
Located in the community of North Etobicoke (west end of Toronto), they provide a safe refuge for youth ages 16 to 24 who – often through circumstances beyond their control – have found themselves without a home to call their own. Many are homeless before the age of 16, and some are victims of abuse or abandonment, or simply have no family at all.
Please support the work they do. To learn more, visit their website at yws.on.ca