OUR WORK
The Learning Community has identified four strategic priorities for 2017-2019. These priorities are:
- Housing
- Indigenous Youth
- Prevention
- Youth Voice
Housing
The purpose of the Housing Working Group is to support organizations and communities to better respond to the housing needs of youth within their local context.
The Housing Working Group has the following outcomes for the 2016-2019 Strategic Plan of the Learning Community:
- Inform the National Housing Strategy
- Knowledge mobilization of promising practices on youth housing
- Support the Housing First for Youth Framework
- Develop a Housing inventory
Indigenous Youth
The purpose of the Indigenous Youth Working Group is to support youth service providers to develop policies and procedures that create/maintain/enhance/strengthen safe and welcoming space for youth program participants, particularly Indigenous youth, as they are overrepresented in homeless populations.
The Indigenous Youth Working Group has the following outcomes for the 2017-2019 Strategic Plan of the Learning Community:
- Develop an environmental scan of cultural safety and diversity resources and tools; research cross cultural education/training options; compile policies/procedures that promote inclusivity.
- Develop an inventory of existing knowledge/training modules Design knowledge/training modules that create/celebrate inclusivity; draft a resource that shares “welcoming” and other signs in the multiple languages of participants. Have compiled literature related to inclusive staff hiring and retention strategies.
Prevention
The purpose of the Prevention Working Group is to support organizations shift towards implementing a prevention philosophy and framework.
The Prevention Working Group has the following outcomes for the 2017-2019 Strategic Plan of the Learning Community:
- Consult on the Youth Prevention Framework and support
- Design key messages for Learning Community members to use
- Support youth-serving organizations and communities with tools & resources
- Design a change management guide for organizations who want to shift towards prevention work
Youth Voice
Youth experiencing homelessness know what supports are necessary and also how systems have failed them. The National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness is committed to creating space for youth to engage in the national conversation and be a key partner in plans to end youth homelessness.
The Youth Voice Working Group has the following outcomes for the 2017-2019 Strategic Plan of the Learning Community:
- Develop an environmental scan/inventory of youth voice/youth engagement programming across the Learning Community
- Knowledge mobilization of youth voice/youth engagement promising practices across the Learning Community, led by Learning Community members engaged in the work being shared