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PDG Nancy introduced Kate as the Communications and Public Relations Coordinator with the organization called Resource Assistance for Youth, Inc. (RaY). RaY provides programs and services for youths experiencing homelessness, poverty, and marginalization, and who are disconnected from their support and their communities. RaY provides youth with what they need (on their terms) to better their lives. Kate speaks of the causes of youth homelessness and what people can do to help. Kate began by telling us that RaY began in Winnipeg, growing out of two organizations – one was called “Operation Go Home” and the other was “Powerhouse Winnipeg”. Both served street-entrenched young people. The goal of Operation Go Home was to repatriate runaways back to their home. Powerhouse Winnipeg dealt with young adults aged 18 to 30. They merged in 2004 to form Resource Assistance for Youth. On the evening of April 18th, 2018, there were in excess of 455 children and youths who were homeless. This did not include youths who were “couch surfing”. RaY helps about 2000 youths a year. Youth homelessness is different – youths become homeless for different reasons. For the older adults, homelessness is the result of mental health, job loss and substance abuse or addiction. The main reason for youth homelessness is the breakdown of the family unit, family conflict or violence. 84% of the homeless youths are indigenous, 48% are female. The following causes of homelessness can be intertwined: - Structural (colonialism, discrimination, poverty or housing affordability),
- Systemic (child welfare, justice, health, mental health & addictions, education, employment and income assistance) and
- Family & Individual (abuse, neglect, exposure to family violence, parental substance abuse, rejection of gender or sexual orientation, teen pregnancy)
RaY is a one-stop shop that provides the following – housing, primary health, mental health and wellness, employment and training, cultural supports, street outreach (like after hours support, sandwiches and access to referrals and services) and a drop-in location (for easy access to services, recreational activities and a sense of acceptance and belonging). The goal is to move youth from dependence to independence to interdependence (where they give back to the community). When the COVID-19 pandemic arrived, everyone was advised to stay inside and wash their hands. Places where homeless youth could go to use the washroom and wash their hands were shutting down. RaY set up a port-a-potty, a hand-washing station and provided all their services in the parking lot as best as they could. They got the homeless youths into emergency housing in hotel units (since travel had locked down, leaving units available) and set up an “almost mini-RaY agency” in a hotel. Over time, the community came together and they transitioned the young people from the hotel units into private market housing or into transitional housing. During the pandemic, mental health is being affected and homeless youths are turning to substance abuse to cope. Naloxone is used to reduce the impact of an opioid drug overdose. Last fall, RaY became a distributor of the injectable form of naloxone to save lives of homeless youths and since then has distributed over 2000 kits. (The nasal spray form of naloxone costs more than $150 per kit.) Kate ended her presentation with a story about a homeless youth called Jon who was sleeping alone in a bus shelter, dressed in warm construction coveralls, with all his worldly possessions in a backpack, when RaY outreach workers offered him a sandwich and invited him to come to RaY. Jon accepted the invitation, had a hot meal and thawed out his toes and when he was told that RaY could help him find housing, he said he didn’t need housing, he needed a job. He was informed that RaY could help him with that as well. He went into the RaY employment training program (where he got a minimum wage as long as he was in the program). After he got a dozen or so certificates, RaY found Jon a work placement, where he excelled. He now has full-time employment, permanent housing, and drives his own car. Last summer he got married and now he and his wife (and last time he also brought his mother-in-law) come to RaY for cultural programming (for the full moon ceremony). He is still involved in the community and he can be a support for others, now that he has stability in his life. In response to questions from the members we learned the following: RaY works very closely with Welfare, but there is so much red tape in the system that someone can be literally sleeping on the street and not necessarily quality for welfare. As soon as you go back to school or start to work, you’re cut off from welfare support. There’s also an issue with the rental rate. The median rental rate in the city is $1043/month. Welfare allows the recipient a budget of $576. The amount of housing available at that price in Winnipeg is basically non-existent. The most acute needs for the homeless right now are for donations in kind of warm weather gear (winter boots, warm coats, thermal layers, toques, gloves, neck warmers) are really appreciated, as well as hygiene items like deodorants, toothbrushes, toothpaste, razors, as well as clothing like jeans, hotpants and hoodies in adult sizes. RaY is located at 125 Sherbrook Street, just up the street from Misericordia, across from the old Stella’s used to be. Office hours are from 9 AM to 3:30 PM. If donating items, just ring the doorbell and someone will come and pickup the items. More information can be found on their website: www.rayinc.ca. Reasons for why indigenous youth leave the reserves include escaping abuse, substance abuse, drug culture, lack of opportunity, lack of housing, lack of jobs, and lack of maintained recreational facilities. RaY is currently starting up a partnership with Ebb and Flow Reserve to see if they can provide online support to their young people. RaY hires a nurse practitioner two days a week to attend to the health concerns of homeless youths. Manitoba Health is becoming more adept at locating the health card information of a person who has lost his or her card. RaY becomes the address that the replacement card can be sent to. RaY receives funding from all three levels of government, as well as from corporate, private and public foundations, United Way, the Winnipeg Foundation, the Home Depot Canada Foundation and private donors – and even groups like Rotary clubs. This diversification of funding allows RaY to make their own rules. Five years ago, there were 26 people working at RaY, today there are 53. Nancy Hansen thanked Kate for her very interesting and thought-provoking presentation. Following Alan’s comments about Rotary being a friend of RaY, President Doug indicated that this suggestion will be discussed at the Rotary Club’s next Board meeting. |
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