Grace Inn Shelter has launched a new initiative aimed at equipping educators and youth workers with the tools to prevent and divert youth from experiencing homelessness.
Funded by a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the program seeks to connect both educators and youth workers with resources designed to prevent youth from falling into homelessness.
“Our collective attention to this pressing issue is essential to reduce the number of youth entering homelessness in our area,” says Rob Crisp, executive director at Grace Inn. “As of 2021, 40% of individuals experiencing homelessness in Hastings County reported their first encounter with homelessness before the age of 19. This statistic highlights the urgent need for collective action to support youth facing homelessness in our community.”
This new program adds to existing programming run by the shelter, including their Fostering Lasting Awareness and Support for Homelessness workshop, which encourages youth to critically examine and question the most common myths surrounding homelessness.
