Housing Services
Navigating COVID-19
This year was one marked by the need to constantly adjust and respond to unique challenges in support of both our youth and staff. As the COVID-19 pandemic continued to play an increasing role in our programming and in the lives of our youth and staff, the housing programs worked collectively to provide a response to the ever-changing needs of our youth. In addition to our normal activities, the housing program teams navigated various dimensions of COVID-19, including initial efforts to reduce infection, secure personal protective equipment (PPE), create access to vaccinations, and help manage isolation, treatment, and recovery for those youth who experienced a positive COVID-19 diagnosis.
As a group, the housing programs were successful in significantly reducing positive COVID-19 cases and the spread in our housing units. This is exceptionally difficult due to the congregant living arrangements of many of our programs and the reality that our programs did not have the option of shutting down during the pandemic. Working with community partners such as the Downtown Health Collaborative, the Red Cross, and many others, we were able to provide PPE for both staff and youth in our programs. In partnering with Eastern Health, we also created protocols for positive tests to help reduce the spread of these cases. While we had youth and staff affected by COVID-19, we were able to prevent the spread through our locations which enabled us to continue to offer the programming and services that our youth needed, even in adapted environments.
While we were able to manage COVID-19 within our programs, there were some trends that emerged during this time. Given the restrictions on employment, physical movement, and other aspects of our young people’s’ lives, finding and maintaining housing became more difficult. We saw increases in the demand for our housing programs. as well as an increase in the length of stay within our programs. This was expected as the trends we saw in our programs were mirrored in other organizations and the public. Compounding this issue was the rise in the housing market, which raised the cost of living for our youth and contributed to the demand and length of stay in our housing units. Creating new and affordable housing units to support our youth is now a priority for the housing programs as we move into the new year.
Housing More Youth
Another partnership that has increased our capacity is the creation of a new role, the Intensive Housing Stability Worker (IHSW). The IHSW is connected to the RallyForward program and works with 12 youth who require intensive supports for their housing needs. CFY has partnered with End Homelessness St Johns (EHSJ) to fund this position and it will help expand the number of youth we can support. RallyForward has also partnered with the Jordon’s Principle project to create a new position designed to help Indigenous youth with their housing needs.
The year has challenged both our youth and programs as we experienced a global pandemic that significantly impacted the lives of our young people. Compounding this issue were dramatically rising housing costs which also had dramatic impacts on the ability of youth to obtain housing. While this has been a struggle at times, it has also showcased the creativity and collaborative approaches of our staff and programs. Our programs, with the help of our partners, were able to quickly and effectively respond to the unique needs of youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. We were able to provide safe and consistent programming which helped limit the impact of COVID-19 on the lives of our youth. We have emerged from the pandemic with new programs and partnerships with the aim of supporting a larger number of youth who need support in their housing journey.
Implementing the Soft Landing program
One of the most significant changes within CFY’s housing programs was the creation of the Soft Landing program. This program was created to support with rapid rehousing and shelter diversion of youth who become homeless, as well as helping youth find and obtain independent housing. This program follows national trends towards preventative work that can have significant impacts on youth by helping them before they become entrenched in temporary or short-term housing programs. Another significant piece of work that the Soft Landing program will be leading is the management of our centralized referral process. Previously, youth who were interested in our programs would contact each program looking for information and potentially going through multiple intake processes. This process was ineffective for both youth and staff. Youth have expressed how difficult it is to not only navigate multiple programs but also having to continually repeat and tell their stories to several people. Our centralized referral program addresses both of these issues. Our new system allows youth, and those who support them, to complete one housing referral form. These forms are collected by the housing team, who meets once a week to discuss new referrals and decide as a team which program may be the best fit. This lessens the burdens and barriers for youth in accessing programs while allowing the housing programs to work collectively to find the best fit for youth seeking services.