OUR EMPOWERMENT PHILOSOPHY

The program is based on an empowerment philosophy that all young people have a right to:

• Safe housing based on their needs
• A standard of living adequate for their physical, mental, moral, and social development
• An environment of tolerance, dignity, peace, and equality
• Protection from abuse
• An environment that fosters mutual accountability, responsibility, and independence
• Participation in decision-making that affects their lives

WHAT WE DO

Our main focus is to provide young people with adequate, stable, and age-appropriate support systems during a transition period in their lives. Part of helping youth move to more stable, healthy living situations is helping to walk youth through issues and activities that are difficult for any person to maneuver. This includes:

• Helping youth access financial support to stabilize their immediate situation
• Mediate family issues if continuing to live at home (or moving back home) is a possible option for youth
• Counseling youth through day-to-day issues and conflict resolution
• Providing youth with referrals for services such as drug treatment or healthcare services
• Attending appointments with youth for treatment or healthcare services and supporting their efforts to make healthier life choices
• Helping young people find stable, safe housing
• Mediating conflict or issues with landlords
• Providing youth with basic necessities (food, clothing, shower and laundry facilities)
• Providing emergency shelter to young men (and referrals for shelter to young women)
• Assisting young people obtain proper I.D. to access financial support and healthcare services
• Create and encourage employment and educational opportunities that work for youth

Another key aspect to helping youth is building a solid relationship of trust and empowering them to make healthy life choices. At Choices, this involves employing a “Harm Reduction” philosophy where youth are met and accepted regardless of what choices they are currently making. Staff at Choices create a supportive, safe environment where youth can increasingly become more involved and build trusting relationships, gradually making changes when they are ready.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND INVOLVEMENTS

Choices for Youth is a nationally recognized organization that strives to create innovative solutions to deep-rooted systemic issues that affect all regions in the country. Choices’ Youth Service Centre model of integrated services for at-risk and homeless youth was recognized as a Promising Approach by the Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative. Choices was also selected by Raising the Roof as one of three youth-serving organizations across Canada to participate in the Youth Works project.

In keeping with our philosophy of working in partnership to create solutions, Choices for Youth was one of the lead organizations that organized and hosted Canada’s first national youth homelessness conference, Beyond the Streets. From that conference, Choices has continued to work with partners to build a national youth homelessness network (a network of youth-serving agencies). Choices is also a partner with Eva’s Initiatives in their national Youth Homelessness Learning Community, which helps organizations learn from each other’s experiences, create opportunities for mentorship between organizations and to do collaborative work across our sector and across Canada.