Family and Natural Supports (FNS) is a prevention-first approach to youth homelessness: instead of waiting for a young person to reach crisis, it strengthens their relationships with family, chosen family, and other trusted adults, and removes practical barriers (e.g., money, food, transport, certifications) so that young people can remain housed and continue pursuing their education and employment goals.
How the program was implemented
The FNS program model, funded through ESDC’s Youth Employment and Skills Strategy (YESS), was paired with employment and education support. Delivered by 7 organizations across 5 provinces, it supported 181 youth and 208 family members and natural supports; by program end, 74 youth had secured or started employment and 101 had returned to school or training.
Key outcomes
- Working in a paid job increased: 39% → 49%
- quality of life improved (good/very good): 44% → 63%
- Family closeness (higher is better) enhanced: 3.33 → 3.59
- Family conflict (lower is better) reduced: 2.60 → 2.25
- Perceived social support (from family, significant other, friend) increased: 4.88 → 5.01
