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Vancouver’s first-ever youth homeless count has begun

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – In an effort to better understand how severe homelessness is among young people in Metro-Vancouver, a nine-day ‘youth homeless count’ has been launched, led by the BC Non-Profit Housing Association, and other local community groups.

It’s the first ever count in Metro-Vancouver to specifically look at young people and the root causes that have led them to homelessness.

Erin Harvey is with the Pacific Community Resources Society, one of the groups helping with the count, and says a youth homeless count was very much needed.

A regular homeless count is held every three years in the area, however, it looks at the entirety of the homeless population, and is only done over a 24 hour period.

In addition, Harvey doesn’t believe the findings from the counts have been entirely accurate.

“What we saw in the last homeless count was an actual reduction in numbers of youth homelessness, and speaking on behalf of an agency that serves youth who are homeless, what we’re seeing is that number is actually rising,” says Harvey.

The most recent count, done in 2017, said people under the age of 25 made up 16 per cent of the homeless population, down from 20 per cent in 2014.

In past counts, hundreds of volunteers have gone out across the region to do surveys. However, in this count, anonymous surveys will be done at youth-oriented organizations, like youth centers, high schools, and shelters.

Harvey says the count will look at why young people end up with no place to go.

“How that’s linked to rental stock, and income assistance, and all of those other things,” says Harvey. “So, really trying to get a better picture of what’s happening early on, to start putting an end to homelessness, so that young people don’t end up street entrenched for a long period of time.”

The count kicked off on Wednesday.

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