The Physical Environment
Eva’s Phoenix houses homeless youth and youth coming from unsafe or unstable housing situations.
The physical environment of Eva’s Phoenix is comprised of ten town house units, and approximately five youth live in each house. Each youth has their own bedroom, and is responsible for sharing common living areas with their housemates. The goal of the Housing Program is to assist youth in developing the skills that they need so they can live independently.
The physical layout of Eva’s Phoenix provides youth the opportunity to “practice” independent shared living. Each youth is expected to maintain their own environment, including cleaning and cooking chores, as well as cohesive relationships with their housemates. Housing counselors offer support and guidance to youth so that they may learn the required skills such as cleaning, cooking and shopping as well as the necessary conflict management and communication skills.
The physical layout of Phoenix is integral to the philosophy of the program as it allows for privacy and a degree of independence so that youth may practice what they learn.
The Referral Process
Youth are referred to Eva’s Phoenix by other youth serving agencies, and our referral form is the where we begin to collect information on the services and supports that each youth will need during their stay at Phoenix. Referral forms are vetted on the following criteria:
They are between the ages of 16-24 and
An interview is arranged, during which the youth begin establishing their goals, and the immediate actions required to meet those goals. Once they move in, it is this action plan that is used to guide the youth through their year as they build on immediate actions toward long-term goals.
Eva’s Phoenix Philosophy
All the programs and counseling at Eva’s Phoenix can be described as supportive, offering options and opportunities for youth to learn. There are as few rules as possible, given that we are attempting a transitional housing facility within a shelter. Whenever possible, rules are enforced within a graduated system, in that a series of warnings and/or repayments are applied before housing is jeopardized. This allows youth to learn from “mistakes” and learn new ways of approaching personal difficulties or challenges.
The Eva’s Phoenix Housing Program
Throughout the year there is a focus on support and counseling as required according to the youth’s goals and level of need. The semi-independent arrangement at Phoenix allows youth to access the level of support and privacy that they need to practice independent living. Some youth arrive with multiple barriers and presenting issues. For these youth, they may receive frequent one-on-one counseling sessions as well as support from a variety of in-shelter program options and workshops; other youth may need less support, but in a stable environment with access to resources. Whatever the particular level at which a youth may be, options for support include one-to-one counseling, teaching workshops, information sessions and some group sessions.
Eva’s Phoenix provides many information and skill-building workshops through community partnerships, in particular in the area of substance use, healthy sexuality, legal issues, conflict resolution, anger management, anti-oppression, etc. Volunteers and staff also work with youth to develop skills such as cooking, budgeting, shopping on a budget, anger and stress management, etc.
All youth are also expected to contribute to the community of the shelter by involvement in a variety of committees. Each committee has a particular shelter focus; the social committee informs which events will take place in the shelter and general activities for residents, the maintenance committee addresses light maintenance issues in the shelter, the gardening committee takes care of the community garden, and the governance committee reviews issues current in the shelter and any new policies or procedures. Each committee has a staff representative, but is primarily composed of residents.
Ongoing program evaluation is achieved through youth committee involvement, client evaluation forms as well as structured community and house meetings. Periodically, time limited youth and staff committees are struck to review available programs, and elicit new programming ideas.
Co-Case Management
The co-ordination of housing and employment counseling goals is accomplished through our co-case management model whereby youth are offered life skills, one-to-one counseling, skill building and information workshops from both perspectives.
Our co-case model focuses youth to complete tasks and achieve self-identified goals specific to housing and employment. This is achieved through the support and co-ordinated case management of an identified employment and housing counselor. Youth are monitored throughout their stay to ensure that their goals and activities are focused and co-ordinated as they relate specifically to housing and employment.
All youth must meet the general requirements of the program, in that they must be actively engaged in an employment program, job seeking or employed. From the housing perspective, youth must actively participate in the community of the shelter, as well as attend life skills programming and workshops. Youth identify the housing and employment goals specific to their own needs, which are also documented and monitored as a measure to ensure that each youth is successfully and actively involved in all program requirements.
Leaving Eva’s Phoenix
The Housing Program also works closely with youth to prepare for leaving the shelter. This may include practical assistance in connecting with a local food bank and/or furniture bank to help get them started, moving furniture or listing available community resources.
Counselors work with youth to the alleviate anxieties and uncertainties of independent living, offering support and resources. As well, workshops and groups are provided to assist youth in finding appropriate housing, preparing to move out, understanding tenant rights and accessing community resources.
Once youth leave the shelter, we offer community support if problems arise with landlords or tenants, their housing situation becomes unsafe or other general support is necessary to ensure stabilized housing. We also encourage our ex-residents to stay in contact with the shelter and are given open invitations to community and special events in the shelter.
The goal of Eva’s Phoenix is to be the first step for youth toward independent living. The Employment and Housing teams work together to ensure that the youth have the skills required for independent living and to be successfully employed.
