For over 20 years Covenant House Vancouver has been a safe haven for homeless and at-risk youth in Vancouver. The Intracorp Foundation is proud to commit $48,000 in support of Covenant House’s Housing Program.
We had the chance to speak with Jessica Thompson, Manager, Organizational & Annual Giving at Covenant House, about the ways in which Covenant House supports vulnerable youth in Vancouver as well as ways to get involved.
How does Covenant House help vulnerable youth in Vancouver?
Covenant House Vancouver offers a clear exit from life on the streets to youth aged 16 to 24. In response to the enormity and severity of the challenges youth face, we offer three core programs to support young people on their journey to independence:
- Street Outreach and a daily Drop-In space;
- The Crisis Program has 63 gender-specific beds and operates 24-hours a day; and
- Rights of Passage provides 25 youth with a safe apartment and the life-skills training needed for their transition to fully independent living.
In addition to these core programs, Covenant House Vancouver offers a holistic range of support services including:
- One on one social work services to help youth develop and achieve their goals;
- On-site registered clinical counsellors and substance use counselling with a recognized community partner;
- Recreational programming to encourage healthy alternatives to street life and foster positive relationships with their peers;
- Life-skills training, such as budgeting, cleaning, cooking, and self-care; and
- Housing workers who assist youth in finding and maintaining a home of their own, when they are ready.
Covenant House Vancouver adopts a proactive approach to addressing the root causes of homelessness to affect more significant social change. We aim to keep youth from progressing further along the trajectory to homeless adulthood by supporting them as they identify and work towards achieving their ambitions. We fully believe that helping youth overcome their unique barriers while they are still developing and finding their place in the world is crucial to preventing life-long homelessness.
How will this donation help the youth at Covenant House?
Intracorp’s generous donation will support the Housing Program at Covenant House Vancouver. Two full time Housing Workers help youth find and maintain safe affordable housing in the community. They also teach youth essential independent living and life skills to ensure that they are able to maintain their tenancy for the long-term.
The Housing Program works with youth in the following areas:
Housing Search
Assisting youth in completing ad and web searches, accompanying youth to look at accommodations, facilitating introductions to landlords, liaising and networking with other service providers and housing registries, and providing youth with the various resources they need to complete these tasks (such as bus passes, clean clothing, reference lists, etc.).
Secured Housing
Assisting youth with moving into secured accommodation. This includes coordinating access to start up kits, groceries and furniture, as well as setting up their homes with the basics they need to get started.
After Care Support
Providing outreach support as required to assist youth with maintaining housing and to landlords to maintain youth placements. This includes home visits and advocacy on behalf of our youth, as well as support and referrals to clients with addictions and behaviour management issues.
Specialized Support and Life Skills
Consists of providing educational life skills support to assist youth with maintaining independent living. This may include assisting youth in organizing their financial arrangements and budgeting, helping youth in meal planning, grocery shopping and meal preparation, providing education to youth with regard to the Landlords and Tenants Act, and assisting youth in organizing transportation and route planning to and from work.
How can others get involved with Covenant House?
There are many ways to get involved with Covenant House Vancouver! You can join a Sleep Out, volunteer, organize a fundraiser, or make a donation. For more information or if you would like to donate to Covenant House, please visit our website at https://www.covenanthousebc.org/ .