The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates the homeless population to be at, “a low of 250,000 to 350,000 nationwide” (Fogel 386). The Community for Creative Non-Violence however claims it’s at, “a high of 2 to 3 million” (Fogel 386). Even if the homeless population is around 250,000, that is a lot of people who need somewhere to stay. The lack of attention from the government on this problem is disappointing. With such a large homeless population the government can't just keep ignoring this problem.
Family homelessness continue to be a one of the most ubiquitous social problems in Canada. Most people believe that homelessness is reflective of men and women living on the streets of large cities with a shopping cart, carting their belongings while asking society for spear change. Most people don’t see the families and children that are affected by homelessness in our society. Homelessness is not only defined by people that are living on the streets but also by families, women and children living in their vehicles, stay with friends or families; these are people who do not have a home of their own. McChesney stated in her journal article Family Homelessness: A Systemic Problem, that “homelessness is… the number of households living below
Poor physical and mental health, restricted access to chances for education and employment, and an increased likelihood of participation with the criminal justice system are all consequences of homelessness. The entire community is affected, therefore it's not simply an issue for the person. What can we do to address this then? In order to confront this problem and create answers, society as a whole must assume responsibility. Our efforts must be coordinated in order to increase young people's employment possibilities, make housing more affordable, and offer homeless individuals support services.
Youth homelessness. In Canada this is becoming more than an issue, it's becoming a crisis. Every night thousands of Canadians between the ages of 16-24 struggle to survive. In a year around 200,000 Canadians experience homelessness, and youth between the ages of 16-24 make up 20% of that huge number.
Homeless youth are always dealing with poor nutrition, victimization, substance use, and abuse. Unfortunately the services provided are very limited and cannot help a huge chunk of the homeless youth. Homeless youth experience more substance abuse and drug addiction than non-homeless youth, this causes them to be mentally unstable and unable to be a functioning member of society. There are many temporary services provided such as shelters, drop-ins, meal programs, literacy improvements, and counselling programs; although these are available and there to help the youth, they are all flawed in their own ways. What the government does not take into consideration is the long term solutions to put youth in poverty to an end.
The young dancer grind and rub his latex against Grizzoli's bulge while letting the cop's own touching and feeling Charlie's own bulge, the two white wolves pant and heave at the motion with Grizzoli starting to fade due to how Charlie smoothly handle the cop. "I see that you are waiting for more than just lap dances. Gotta say you have not seen anybody surrendering him or herself over to you for a long while now. " Charlie's deduction seems to grab Grizzoli by the proverbial balls, trying to deny his lack sexual activities, Grizzoli giggles and derail the conversation back to the job. "
The City of Toronto proposed a two pronged approach to address youth homelessness and squeegeeing (Parnaby, 2003). Firstly, a training program called the Squeegee Working Youth Mobilization (SWYM) project was developed with the aim to provide employment skills and alternatives to squeegeeing and panhandling (O 'Grady et al., 2011). City Council approved the $250,000 SWYM project with financial assistance from the Federal government (Parnaby, 2003). Secondly, the City requested that the Ontario government pass new legislation to give police more power over the income-generating practices of these youth (O 'Grady et al., 2011).
Who does homelessness affect? Youth Homelessness affects over 200,000 people each year in Canada. Frequently homelessness affects people who are at a disadvantage
(United Way). These reasons make it more difficult to find employment, leaving them with low to zero income making the struggle of homelessness even harder. The Homeless Hub provides information about Winnipeg homeless statistics. According to The Homeless Hub, Winnipeg struggled with over 1,200 people experiencing homelessness in 2021. With Winnipeg only having around 400 beds in shelters at the time, over half of the people experiencing homelessness did not have a safe space to stay (Homeless Hub).
Youth homelessness in Canada is not a new phenomenal, it has become more and more severe over the past 20 years. “One third of homeless individuals on the streets are under the age of 25”(Cino, Rose). It is a significant social justice issue in Canada. Within our community people are increasingly aware of the sight of youth sleeping in parks, asking for money and sitting on sidewalks. Youth homelessness is caused by tragic life occurrences such as abuse, illness or unemployment, while many falsely assume homelessness is a choice.
Therefore, in order to reduce youth homelessness in Canada, government and community need to put more effort to address the issue of
What they don’t understand is the responsibility that comes along with moving out on your own. According to The Annual Homeless Assessment report 2014, approximately 23% of homeless are children 18 years of age and younger and 10% of the population being in between the years of 18-24. (www.hudexchange.info) In order to decrease this from happening we need to make a plan to help educate the youth about homelessness and all the responsibilities that living on your own comes with.
Although shelters provide food, and a place to stay for these peoples, is not a solution that is sustainable. Over the next few years, the money that going to be spend on Toronto’s homeless community, should be used to help educate and help build a future for the city’s most vulnerable group of people. Money should be invested in building affordable housing, especially for elder community, who do not have the physical ability to get into the work field. A recent study, has tracked the number of homeless deaths, and the number is significantly higher then any previous year. It is recorded that from January, to the end of March 2017, a total of 27 homeless deaths was tracked https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2017/05/25/27-homeless-deaths-in-toronto-in-just-three-months.html.
Canada must strengthen the safety net, intended to protect the vulnerable, to aid those with the most significant needs (Muckle et al., 2006; Bradford, 2009). Sheltering homeless individuals have been a part of Canada’s strategy to end homelessness. According to the Homeless Individuals and Families Information System, there are 1,128 emergency shelters with over 25,000 beds in Canada (Echenberg et al., 2005). Although it is a crucial part of the solution, there are indications that it is ineffective as the only solution (Jencks, 1994; Baum, 2007). It is inefficient because many homeless individuals suffer from mental or physical disabilities and require long-term rehabilitation services rather than short-term housing to escape homelessness (Muckle et al., 2006).
Youth Homelessness in America Every year, millions of people are experiencing some form of homelessness in the United States alone. Of those people who are experiencing homelessness, a large proportion of them is under the age of 24. Data has found that there are over 550,000 youth have experienced homelessness for more than a week over the course of a year (“Youth and Young Adults,” 2018). In many cases, youth homelessness can be prevented, but the lack of resources and services available to youth is limited. As a result, the issue continues to grow and affect more and more youth have to experience homelessness.
