Each year in Canada, at least 35,000 youth experience homelessness. Many fall through the cracks before they even turn 16—when they’re still in school.
Traditionally, our systems haven’t had the capacity to offer support to youth until they reach a crisis point. But by then, family breakdown, housing precarity, mental health challenges, and school disengagement have compounded. Intervention becomes more difficult and costly, both financially and in terms of their long-term success and well-being.
Upstream Canada is shifting the paradigm
Adapted from Upstream Australia’s Community of Schools and Services (COSS) Model and co-led by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and A Way Home Canada’s Making the Shift Youth Homelessness Social Innovation Lab, Upstream Canada is a school-based early intervention model that aims to prevent youth homelessness and school disengagement before they begin. Its process is proactive, not reactive.
To date, Upstream Canada has been implemented in three middle schools in Kelowna, BC and two middle schools in St. John’s, NL, with plans to expand to more locations in the near future. The model includes three core components:
- Universal Student Needs Assessment (SNA) to identify risk.
- Validation Interviews with flagged students.
- Connection to Coordinated Supports, such as family mediation, mental health care, and academic assistance.
In Kelowna, between 2021 and 2024, over 2,400 students participated in the SNA, with 899 (37%) flagged as at risk of homelessness or school disengagement. Of these, 328 students received tailored supports. Notably, 52% of those supported were “hidden risk” students, previously unknown to school staff despite facing serious challenges at home.
“I definitely wasn’t obvious. I am almost a straight A student and I’m pretty good in class and stuff, but I was struggling with home stuff. And [teachers] would never know that. Kids are just pretty good at hiding it.” — Youth participant, Upstream Kelowna
We spoke with the dedicated staff at Upstream Kelowna and Upstream NL, who graciously shared their insights on implementing Upstream Canada in their communities. Below, we highlight the three key lessons they shared with us.
Lesson 1: “Silent sufferers” and the façade of academic success
One of Upstream Canada’s most impactful outcomes has been its success in identifying these “silent sufferers”—students who may perform well academically but are quietly dealing with intense stress, family instability, or trauma.
“We’re meeting kids at 12 or 13, and they’re still adult-oriented, and that has allowed us to get in there pretty quick, to start establishing trusting relationships…. right from the check in, they’re so excited to meet with an adult role model and someone that they can open up to.” — Philly, Upstream Kelowna
In Kelowna, over half of the youth who received support (171 out of 328) were classified as hidden risk. Traditional metrics did not flag these students, and they would have been missed without the universal SNA tool.
Lesson 2: Supports must be tailored to individual youth needs
A key strength of Upstream Canada is its flexible, youth-driven model.
“I think you come into programs sometimes expecting a little bit more of a tick box, or these are the paths you’re going to take. But seeing how individual our approach gets to be for each youth that we work with, and how critical those individualized plans are to this program, really helps us explore new routes and allows the process to be authentically tailored for the youth that we’re working with.”— Lexia, Upstream Kelowna
This flexibility allows staff to provide culturally appropriate and individually tailored supports. In Kelowna, 52% of the youth identified as Indigenous and 58% identified as 2SLGBTQ+.
“I had no idea how many Indigenous students we were reaching—it’s about half the population we support. We had to build our project to reflect and include that reality.” – Kiara, Upstream Kelowna
Lesson 3: Trust-based relationships enhance the program’s success
Upstream Canada fosters relational trust-building, which is especially important for students and their families who have a history of negative encounters with professionals.
“What surprised me the most was how many family members have experienced unsuccessful relationships with professionals, whether that be with school, with social workers, with doctors, or any systems that are meant to support people. We had to shift our approach with people to build the trust, because we’re not getting anything done without that trust.” — Melissa, Upstream NL
Upstream Canada staff play an essential role in creating a supportive and thriving environment for students. They not only address the youth’s immediate needs but also lay the groundwork for long-term success by fostering safe and nurturing relationships within schools.
“I remember hearing a youth described as ‘not having a chance’. And that kind of floored me. But I think it has really shown why Upstream is so important to have in the schools, because I would have assumed that teachers and guidance counselors are the adult relationships that are going to be those positive, safe, supportive spaces for our youth. However, they’re not always. One thing we hear a lot from youth is how much they feel heard and understood by Upstream staff.” – Emily, Upstream NL
What does success really look like?
When it comes to measuring success, Upstream Canada staff urge a shift in perspective. Success isn’t always a youth getting housed or graduating on time. Sometimes, it’s a young person forming a friendship, setting a goal, or discovering their own worth.
“Helping youth by working with them to understand the cycles of intergenerational trauma, as well as issues like domestic violence and addiction, truly changes how they perceive themselves. I’ve had a few youth who have connected deeply with the identity of being a ‘cycle breaker’, which is very powerful.” — Emily, Upstream NL
“We’ve had a lot of youth who are really struggling to be successful in the classroom, whether that’s due to trauma, lack of attendance, chronic anxiety, disrespect towards teachers, violence with peers, substance use, or self-harm during school. When we’ve worked with these youth to create individualized support plans, they’re able to stay in school, engaging in peer-to-peer support and building skills, which translate to confidence and skill sets in the broader classroom as well.” — Beth, Upstream NL
“When basic needs are unmet, youth navigate their environment with heightened anxiety. Worrying about where to sleep or if a sibling is hungry prevents them from engaging respectfully with teachers and family, leading to conflicts and increased stress. Once basic needs are met, stress levels stabilize, significantly improving their ability to manage daily tasks. This really makes a difference in whether they get suspended, kicked out of their family home, or face other life-altering consequences. Again, this ensures they can maintain housing and stability.” — Beth, Upstream NL
“As part of our goal setting in the Upstream program, we discuss hopes and dreams extensively, and many youth initially struggle to set these hopes and dreams. They often don’t consider their future as they focus on survival. We empower them to have hopes and dreams, not just today, but tomorrow, next year, and 10 years down the road—not only for the youth but for the family system as a whole, envisioning what that could look like for them.” – Leslie, Upstream NL
“Part of our intake process involves asking youth about their strengths. Often, that question goes unanswered, leading to awkward laughter, silence, or even a shrug. We frequently see the effects of low self-esteem. While we build their self-esteem, we also establish vital protective factors against future homelessness and school disengagement. We consistently focus on their strengths, recognizing and fostering them. We provide abundant praise, and a major component of our case management involves helping youth achieve their goals. When they reach the goals they set, it greatly boosts their confidence.” – Emily, Upstream NL
Conclusion
Many youth experiencing homelessness suffer from complex trauma, often hidden until a crisis point. Without early, school-based identification, these students can slip through the cracks. The Upstream Canada model ensures that support is offered before young people reach that point.