Structures and opportunities for input
Community engagement was recognized as being such an important part of the experience at Eva’s Phoenix that all youth have to develop concrete goals in the area of “sense of community”. The way in which Eva’s Phoenix facilitates youth engagement has evolved over the years. When youth were initially asked about where they wanted to be involved, they responded with a huge list of issues. The challenge was to identify practical ways for youth to be involved, given their backgrounds and where they are in their own personal journeys.
As Morag Perkins, former Manager of Housing, explained, “There are three main challenges with respect to involving youth in decision-making. First, the youth do not come with a common set of experiences. They are at all different places within their experience at Eva’s, as well as in their own lives. Second, they have not chosen to be together or to work together. And third, many have developed street skills which may not be conducive to their working together.”
Initially, youth were able to participate on one of four standing committees – a Social Committee (responsible for planning parties, Bar-B-Qs, etc.), a Gardening Committee (responsible for garden development and communal meals), a Maintenance Committee, and a Governance Committee (responsible for overall operations and problem-solving). Several ad hoc committees were also formed including the Programming Committee (responsible for gathering input on specific programs and program evaluation), and the Community Involvement Committee (responsible for looking at ways to be involved in the broader community beyond Eva’s Phoenix), as well as committees to work on particular issues or trends (e.g. drugs, theft, fundraising). The experience of running these committees demonstrated that while the youth may start with much energy and enthusiasm, they often lack the skills and desire to maintain this level of participation.
Supporting community engagement
The reality of Eva’s Phoenix is that – as in the “real world” - there is a small core group that is heavily involved and who already have the necessary skills to work effectively together. The challenge is how to provide opportunities for others to have a meaningful and positive experience in community engagement. And how much community engagement should be mandatory?
It was decided that all youth must participate on the Governance Committee, as it was the place where important issues were discussed that affected the whole community. Youth must start participating on this committee after their first three months “settling-in” period at Eva’s Phoenix, and they must come to at least three monthly meetings during their time there.
Besides the Governance Committee, other community participation is encouraged, but not compulsory. It was felt that since the youth do not get to choose their housemates, it was important to allow them to choose their form of community engagement. The number of committees has also been reduced. One of the most important committees is now the Food Committee. This body is responsible for maintaining the on-site grocery store, obtaining fresh food from Second Harvest - a local food-distribution agency, and goods from the local food bank, organizing fundraising and donations to support food-related activities, and organizing community meals.
 Lessons Learned
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