Since 1992, Homeless Recourse has been encouraging initiatives aimed at supporting the homeless, particularly youth who are momentarily unable to take responsibility for their lives.
The situation of marginal youth is of particular concern. Over the past years, there were some 5,000 homeless adolescents and young adults in the Montréal area. Forced to move often to preserve social peace, these youth are seeking refuge in surrounding neighbourhoods or in the suburbs.
Faced with such a huge task, Homeless Recourse more specially supports initiatives intended for those who want to get off the street. Therefore, we will favour such activities and approaches that target those who are already or are at risk of living on the street, but who clearly want to take back control of their lives.
Results that show…
Last year, Homeless Recourse partnered with 36 community organizations, distributing over $480,000 to help them help over 42,700 young people throughout the province.
Objectives
The general objective of this division is to support individuals in their efforts to break out of the cycle of homelessness.
To better meet the needs of youth in need, we have set the following specific objectives for the next five years (2009-2013):
Encouraging initiatives aimed at helping adolescents and young adults in need
These initiatives will explore various interventions designed to protect these young people from self-destructive tendencies and harmful influences while rebuilding or strengthening their self-esteem and confidence in life and in others, such as:
- Reaching-out activities, consisting in meeting youth in their own environment to help establish a trusting relationship;
- Services aimed at protecting youth (suicide prevention, awareness-building on street gangs, prostitution, and the consequences of drug use);
- Welcoming activities, emergency help (housing, food), reference to social and health services.
Supporting reintegration programs
Reintegration activities encourage the development of basic social skills and the creation of social networks that can protect people at risk from isolation, poverty, and a return to the street. These activities aim to:
- Encourage independence, particularly as they begin their journey towards reintegration;
- Foster solidarity and mutual aid between communities and people facing great difficulties (individual sponsors, support groups, mutual aid housing and work cooperatives).
