Recognizing the complexities of youth homelessness, the Youth Homelessness Prevention Mapping project (YHPM) aims to enhance awareness and improve outcomes for young people aged 13-24 in the Capital Regional District (CRD), which is the regional government for 13 municipalities and three electoral areas on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands in British Columbia.
This six-month initiative, led by the Alliance to End Homelessness in the Capital Region (AEHCR) and supported by the Victoria Foundation, focuses on systematically mapping the resources and needs of at-risk youth in the CRD through the creation of a database containing housing, services and programs for youth.
In addition, this report provides a comprehensive system-mapping effort designed to identify the barriers young people face in accessing services and where there are gaps in the system through engagement of both youth and organizations providing supports services, and housing for youth.
Further, the project emphasizes the importance of raising awareness for homelessness prevention, advocating for increased attention from local, provincial and federal governments.