Homelessness is a growing problem in urban centers, and Aboriginal people are overrepresented within the homeless population in Canada. Youth are the most vulnerable group of homeless people, largely at risk for gang recruitment, prostitution and exploitation. Violence and abuse at home is often the reason youth leave home and become street-involved, and their victimization continues on the street. In the absence of positive role models, street-involved youth often turn to alcohol and drugs as a way to cope with negative experiences. Research has shown that street-involved youth benefit from interventions designed to improve their adaptive coping skills.

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Impacts of a Peer Support Program for Street- Involved Youth, Volume 9, Issue 1 in 2011.