Executive director of A Way Home Kamloops Katherine McParland says a 2018 survey revealed 136 homeless youth in Kamloops (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

YOUTH HOMELESSNESS

A Way Home Kamloops notes youth homelessness on the rise

May 28, 2019 | 6:01 PM

KAMLOOPS — The executive director of A Way Home Kamloops, the local non-profit organization that helps provide homeless youth with shelter, says there is a growing need for housing.

Katherine McParland appeared at City Hall on Tuesday afternoon to present council with a few numbers from a 2018 survey that involved nearly 1,100 young people in the city.

“We conducted 1,086 surveys over a three-day period that identified 136 youth that said they were currently homeless or were homeless in the past year. A significant number of these were experiencing visible homelessness,” said McParland.

Image Credit: CFJC Today

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McParland says the number is up from 56 homeless youth during a 2016 count. She urged the city today to help house youth who are on the streets and couch surfing. She notes that A Way Home Kamloops is close to opening a few safe suites with the help of BC Housing.

“On an annual basis, the safe suites model costs approximately just over $400,000. The reason for the increased costing is these young people have complex needs such as mental health or substance use,” noted McParland. “They need 24-hour support where there are people on shift that can respond to their crises and help them stabilize, so they’re prepared to move into independent housing.”

A Way Home Kamloops is hosting an event on Thursday at the Kamloops United Church to reveal the rest of the survey results.