The B.C. Coalition to End Youth Homelessness published its second Special Report on COVID-19 and youth homelessness in July 2020. The report recommends unique, youth-centred ways to increase income levels for youth at risk of homelessness and the development of a BC Youth Housing Action Plan that provides a continuum of housing and access to rental subsidies. The report also recommends increasing youth safety and security online to mitigate risks of exploitation and online bullying.
24 search results
for
Children and youth in care
Housing
Recommendation 3: Designate housing units to the cohort of youth aging out of care post-pandemic to ensure no youth ages out into homelessness.-
Category and theme:
Audience:
Groups affected:
Housing
Recommendation 4: Provide funding to community organizations to support youth in finding rentals and developing life-skills to sustain housing. Youth need support in communicating with landlords to prevent conflict by addressing issues before they arise such as not being able to afford rent one month.-
Category and theme:
Audience:
Groups affected:
Housing
Recommendation 5: Create more scattered site program units for youth with rental subsidies and funding support positions in organizations who can partner with property management companies and provide case management. Additionally, organizations should network with other agencies that have access to housing to ensure youth are prioritized.-
Category and theme:
Groups affected:
Housing
Recommendation 6: Support the development of the Friendly Landlord Network to increase youth’s access to market housing. There should be more public education initiatives that engage landlords by creating accountability within community to support youth and fostering a sense of purpose by helping youth. The provincial government could provide tax incentives for individual homeowners to provide affordable rent and become a part of the Friendly Landlord Network or something similar.-
Category and theme:
Audience:
Groups affected:
Housing
Recommendation 8: Begin transition planning early on for youth who are in the temporary hotels to ensure no youth is discharged back to the streets. Explore keeping hotels and designating vacation rentals to youth.-
Category and theme:
Audience:
Groups affected:
Housing
Recommendation 9: Provide youth with rental subsidies and financial supports that bridge the affordability gap into market housing. The temporary COVID-19 measures should be transitioned into permanent supports such as a universal basic income.-
Category and theme:
Audience:
Groups affected:
Housing
Recommendation 10: Increase youth’s access to housing-focused workshops that assist them in learning about their rights and responsibilities. For example, the Rent Smart Workshop.-
Category and theme:
Groups affected:
Youth in and from the foster care system
Recommendation 12: Develop a Youth Housing Plan for each youth aging out with all the supports youth need to succeed. MCFD should provide one-year of after-care support.-
Category and theme:
Audience:
Groups affected:
Youth in and from the foster care system
Recommendation 13: Increased flexibility around the timeline when a youth needs to leave care. There should be no hard and fast deadlines or cut-off because a youth is nineteen. Youth are facing extraordinary challenges in transition planning, so need time to secure permanent housing.-
Category and theme:
Audience:
Groups affected:
Youth in and from the foster care system
Recommendation 14: Work with service providers to ensure youth have support to secure housing and receive ongoing, in-person life-skills support gain “adulting skills” in order to sustain housing.-
Category and theme:
Groups affected: