Crossing Canada for a charitable cause is as much a part of our Canadian culture as hockey and maple syrup. So why not do it to raise awareness for homelessness?
That was the question Dr. Sean Richardson and I pondered four years ago. How could we raise awareness and support a national conversation on what is needed to prevent, reduce and end youth homelessness?
I had just returned from a corporate social responsibility event in Montreal, where I shared my personal experience with youth homelessness. During the event we led a team of 350 leaders through immersion exercise, where they experienced different aspects of homelessness. The impact was incredible and I left that event asking how we could leverage that shared experience, across Canada.
Youth homelessness is an issue that hits close for me. In 1989 I was a homeless person pushing a shopping cart around Vancouver’s downtown East Side. I was addicted to drugs and lived under a bridge. For years I struggled and could not seem to break the cycle of addiction, poverty and homelessness by myself. Fortunately for me I had supports, I had a mother and a police officer that assisted my transition off the streets. I subsequently went on to graduate college and became a successful entrepreneur.
When I look back at my story I am most grateful I had those supports: my mother, access to treatment and access to education that lead to fulltime employment. In my case, the system to exit homelessness worked. It wasn’t until much later in my life when I began to dig deeper and ask questions about what didn’t work. Where were the systemic breakdowns that could have prevented my street involvement? Here I discovered big gaps, gaps that, if filled, could have changed the trajectory of my life.
The first opportunity to assist me was in school. There were a number of measurable things that began to change: attendance, discipline issues and grades dropping. Any teacher, counsellor of coach I was in contact with would have known something was not working.
The next area that went unaddressed was when I left home at 15. There were no attempts to reconnect me with a suitable environment. I was left to try and mange as an adult, with the life experience of a 15 year old.
The third area where a successful intervention could have occurred was through the justice system. I had frequent contact with probation and courts. Yet again nothing was initiated to prevent the train wreck that was about to become my life.
When I look back today I was an average young person dealing with challenges that I could not mange on my own and once I became entrenched in street involved living, all the other poor choices followed.
What if the system was a little different? What if we support young people better at those crucial crossroads of their lives and prevented them from entering homelessness? These questions caused me to begin Push for Change.
The idea to cross the country was good but adding a symbol of chronic homeless - a shopping cart - was brilliant. We checked and learned that in fact, nobody has cross Canada with a shopping cart. So, we began to build. In 2012, to get fit and prepare for the cross-country walk, we did a “trial” walk from Calgary to Vancouver - a distance of 1071km.
From here, we began building national partnerships and seeking sponsors. One of the first conversations we had was with Dr. Stephen Gaetz, to better understand the state of youth homelessness in Canada and what could be done. I also spoke with Mike Lethby from the RAFT to understand the successes they were having helping youth through Niagara Region. Next we met Melanie Redman from Eva’s and we were introduced to the National Learning Community. It was at this time that A Way Home, a national coalition to end youth homelessness, was beginning to take shape. The timing was perfect. Next we met with Carolann Barr from Raising the Roof to form a charitable partnership.
Our goal as a campaign is to do two things, raise dollars to support youth homelessness and to engage the public in conversations about what we need to do, as a country, to move towards a systemic change. Along the way we want very much to engage with frontline service providers and invite them to push for change with us.
Since 2011, a mountain of ground has been covered and we launched just yesterday. As you read this we will have already left St John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador to commence a 9000km walk across Canada. It will take us 17 months; we will walk through all 10 provinces and engage in the 3 northern territories. We have over 400 community and school events planned. Our team consists of a fulltime road manager, a public relations support person and our dedicated campaign director whose tireless work built the dream I had over four years ago. The person I speak of is my best friend, extremely competent leader and lovely wife Marie who is as committed to the project as I am.
When I was in Vancouver at my lowest point in life I made a promise that if I ever escaped the streets I would do something to “pay it forward”. This is my opportunity to give back to a country I love very much.
At the Push for Change we believe that inspired action can change the world; we believe every young person deserves to grow up and transition safely into adulthood. We believe that ending youth homelessness is possible.
Ending youth homelessness is not a silly altruistic bumper sticker response to a serious social issue. It’s a plan with measured results that will impact taxpayers and save a whole lot of personal and family trauma.
My daughter asked me what I want to accomplish and it’s simple. By creating collaborative relationships, nationwide, maybe in my lifetime, maybe in hers, we can visit youth homelessness in a museum where it belongs.
To learn more or to get involved in the Push for Change go to www.thepushforchange.com or follow our journey on Twitter @pushforchange.