Addressing the Needs of Homeless Youth Through Housing, Education, and Career Services in Kingston, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

Youth homelessness is experienced by youth between ages of 16-24, where they are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. These youth typically lack social structures, stability, and sense of security in their lives. They also face many issues such as drugs, violence, sexually transmitted diseases, and early pregnancy. In the past decade, youth homelessness has become an increasingly important issue in Canada. Many organizations such as Covenant House in Toronto and Crisis House in Calgary are designed specifically to help homeless youth in finding shelter spaces. However, in smaller cities such as Kingston, there is a lack of reports on the conditions of homeless youth. The aim of this master’s report is to fill the gaps and provide a research base for future studies. The report provides a detailed literature review on the subject of youth homelessness, and an analysis of how agencies have met the needs of homeless youth in Kingston based on interviews with youth and agencies to identify gaps in services. The agencies interviewed include Kingston Youth Shelter (KYS), Kingston Youth Employment Services, and Passage House.