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New insights into homeless newcomer youth

A new report is one of the first looking specifically at newcomer youth homelessness in Canada. Until now, there is relatively little known about young new Canadians who find themselves without stable shelter.

The report, led by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Children’s Aid Society Toronto (CAST), looks at 74 people new to Canada within the last 10 years. The researchers focus on youth between the ages of 16 and 24 in the GTA who have “no permanent, safe, affordable, and adequate home.”

Some statistics mirror broader studies into homeless youth across Canada, but immigrant youth often face additional concerns such as acclimatizing to new culture and value systems, language barriers, family issues and sometimes mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder linked to witnessing or participating in war.

On top of that, a quarter are parents with about half of those the primary care taker of the child or children.

The most common reason for participants leaving home is familial conflict. Many become homeless around the age of 17 and over half cited family conflict as the reason. The report’s numbers were similar to broader studies, with around 45 per cent of participants citing physical abuse and 33 per cent citing sexual abuse. Examples of conflict include arranged marriages and differing values between generations.

“Conflicts in newcomer families between newcomer youth and their parents were highlighted in this study as one of the main pathways to homelessness,” said Dr. Kwame McKenzie, CEO of The Wellesley Institute and Medical Director at CAMH in a press release. “Youth and family services need to pay closer attention to programs that support families and their children adjust and prevent separations and homelessness where possible.”

The report pointed to targeting the issue before youth are on the streets by providing intergenerational family services. When looking for support, less than 14 per cent would look to their parents, while nearly half turned to religion.

The report also found a higher rate of non-heterosexual identification in homeless newcomer youth when compared to general studies 37 per cent identified as non-heterosexual, nearly twice that of a recent Toronto study of homeless youth.

One statistic that goes against broader studies is that over 50 per cent of participants have graduated Grade 12 and eight per cent have completed a post-secondary diploma or degree. This is in contrast to a recent study suggesting only 33 per cent of Canada’s homeless youth have graduated high school. This connected to a feeling of “shattered expectations” from some who had given up stable income, homes and family to come to Canada. Those from the older end of the study have, in some cases, come in search of greater prosperity and instead are now in shelters.

The report notes some gaps in housing, education and employment. In both employment and education, language barriers exist and a lack of fixed address impacts access. Job seekers also say issues related to being homeless without a stable income  impacts their searches, such as transit costs, not having work-appropriate clothing and trying to maintain a job while uncertain about shelter. Limited education or employment in Canada also hurts job hunts.

Cost and a lack of time are issues facing those getting an education. When balancing work and attending appointments connected with immigration education is sometimes prioritized lower.

In addition to the intergenerational family services, another suggested preventative measure is for a mentor-type role acting as an “insider’s perspective” to help guide newcomers.

“It’s like being new at a job,” says one participant quoted in the study. “You don’t know anything. If that person doesn’t train you, how are you going to carry out your job?”

The participants note that a guide would have been useful in a variety of roles, from socializing to navigation Canadian bureaucracy. Similarly, there is a lack of peer support networks, allowing for newcomers to meet others in similar situations. The report also recommends staffing youth service agencies with people more reflective of Toronto’s diversity.

The first recommendation, though, is to build on the resilience the participants show, since often they want to support themselves and not rely on government services.

More information can be found here.

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