Our 2023 Impact Report is out!
Thanks to your support, we helped many youth overcome many challenges, in many ways. This is the second of the two posts that highlight impacts made in 2023. Click here to view part one.
Programs
It truly takes a village. Thanks to the support from individuals to organizations across the greater community, Covenant House Vancouver was able to support vulnerable and at-risk youth, in the following ways:
Foundations program: Covenant House was able to open a low-barrier program to support youth who have identified working on their substance use as a primary goal. This program aims to provide crucial support to youth who are grappling with the detrimental effects of the pandemic on their mental well-being and the escalating, unregulated drug toxicity crisis. Foundations is a program designed for youth who do not require medical detox and is a residential program based on harm reduction. Young people will focus on whole-person wellness and wraparound care supports that use a tailored, one-size-fits-one approach and will be guided by each young person’s individualized goals and case planning. Like our overall approach to care at Covenant House Vancouver, this helps ensure that precise supports and care are made available at the right time for youth, based on their journeys and specific needs.
Rights of Passage program: CHV is excited to share that renovations to the building on Pender Street are almost complete. The Pender Street building is home to the Rights of Passage program. Rights of Passage is a transitional housing program that prepares youth for their transitions to independent living.
The renovations will expand the program’s capacity from 25 to 44 beds. The renovations include the addition of a fitness room, a teaching kitchen, a large dining room/lounge, a hangout space, and soundproofed meeting spaces.
To better serve youth, along with renovations to the building, logistics around staffing the new space have also been revised. All Rights of Passage staff will be trained in BC’s food safety program, FOODSAFE. New staff will join the team to help provide sanctuary, guidance, and a sense of belonging to even more young individuals. Rights of Passage staff will also have consistent schedules, rather than rotating, to help youth establish a sense of routine, and foster deeper connections to staff, which results in better long-term outcomes for youth. There will also be a Community Transition Coordinator who will support youth in their preparation to transition out of Rights of Passage, as well as support them when they have moved to independent living.
Crisis Program: The Crisis Program is a short-term accommodation program where young people can stay free of charge for as long as they need to, because getting through a crisis takes as long as it takes. The impact of the housing crisis — unaffordable housing combined with long wait lists for subsidized and supportive housing — has contributed to an increased length of stay by youth in the Crisis Program. The average length of stay has more than doubled to 96 days, which has also contributed to a 100% occupancy rate. The longer stays have allowed us to build deeper relationships with the youth, which ultimately lead to better outcomes, including an increase in youth moving to stable housing upon leaving the Crisis Program.
Thanks to you, Covenant House Vancouver was able to provide wraparound programs and services that supported each youth’s unique needs. Dylan’s story is an example of how your support can change the course of a youth’s life. Dylan went from living in an impoverished community, to finding his voice at Covenant House, to living independently.
None of the amazing work that Covenant House Vancouver accomplishes would be possible without the support of its community’s policies, members, and organizations. Covenant House Vancouver would like to thank each and every one of you for supporting vulnerable and at-risk youth in the community.