How do young people end up homeless?

This is one of the most common questions we get asked at Covenant House Vancouver. There are many reasons why a young person may become homeless but often a young person flees to street believing it will be safer then where they currently are living. The list of hardships bestowed upon our youth read almost like a check-list of reasons why young people end up on the streets:

1) physical, sexual and or/emotional abuse that leads to apprehension, then foster care; 
2) re-abuse or lack of care once in foster care; 
3) early exposure to drugs and/or alcohol; 
4) interrupted education; 
5) mental illness ranging from post-traumatic stress disorder to bi-polar or schizophrenia.

The list goes on but these 5 elements are all too common amongst the young people we serve.

Our continuum of care provides a wide range of services to help young people heal from past wounds and develop the skills necessary to make it on their own. Like all young people our youth want to be loved and cared for in a safe environment where they can grow and develop into independent adults. Thanks to the support of people like you Covenant House Vancouver is able to be a safe haven for youth in need.