National Initiative
The aim of the National Initiative Program is to assist organizations
across Canada to develop integrated models of transitional housing
, employment training and mentorship support based on the Eva’s
Phoenix program, to help homeless and at-risk youth to become self-sufficient.
The development of the National Initiative Program was generously
funded by the Hamilton Community Foundation, and has resulted in the
following accomplishments:
| 1) |
In the past three years, over 75
organizations have attended tours and information sessions and
have accessed tools, resources and free consulting support as
they develop their programs. Communities that have been supported
to date include: Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Hamilton, Oakville,
Mississauga, Markham, Regent Park (Toronto), Peterborough, Ottawa,
Halifax and St. John's. |
| 2) |
A formal evaluation of Eva’s
Phoenix was completed at the end of 2003 to determine both quantitatively
and qualitatively, whether our model helps homeless youth achieve
self-sufficiency and leave the shelter and welfare system behind.
The evaluation, which was conducted by independent consultants,
included interviews with stakeholders (employers, funders, staff,
community partners), a review of statistics, a random analysis
of case files, and most importantly, extensive interviews with
35 youth participants conducted by peer interviewers. |
| |
|
| |
Highlights of the evaluation
outcomes: |
| • |
97% of the youth interviewed said
that Eva's Phoenix had helped them to stabilize their lives; |
| • |
84% of the youth we have served had
stayed in a shelter prior to living at Eva's Phoenix. After
graduating, that number dropped to 32%; |
| • |
4% of the youth we have served lived
on their own at move-in. That number jumped to 35% after the
program; |
| • |
Before the program, 23% of the youth
interviewed had frequent contact with their family. That number
doubled to 46% after the program; |
| • |
Of the youth who participated
in the first year of our HRDC-funded employment programs, nine
months after completing the program 59% were employed or in
school; |
| • |
Stakeholders describe Eva's
Phoenix as capable, innovative, well-respected and effective; |
| • |
Overall, Eva's Phoenix was
described as a high performance, innovative, mission-focused
organization, a leader in its field, and that it can serve as
a useful model for other communities. |
| |
For a complete summary of the Eva's Phoenix evaluation, click
here. |
| |
|
| 3) |
An online toolkit of resources has
been produced, which describes the key elements of the Eva's
Phoenix program (e.g. the construction training program, the
peer mentorship program and the partnership-based model of employment
support) including practical tools and information for interested
groups; |
| 4) |
Eva’s Innovation
Awards, a program sponsored by CIBC is in its third
year. The goal of the awards program is to recognize the work
of groups across Canada that are attempting to address the issues
of youth homelessness and unemployment in a holistic way, as
well as identifying groups we may be able to support in a more
formal way through the National Initiative Program. In 2006,
three organizations - SKETCH Working Arts for Street-Involved
Youth (Toronto), Broadway Youth Resource Centre (Vancouver),
and Mères et Monde (Quebec City) were each honoured with
an Eva's Innovation Award and a $3,000 cash prize for their
exemplary work with youth. In 2007, three more organizations
were honoured with an Innovation Award and a prize of $5,000.
They were: Okanagan Boys and Girls Clubs for the Kelowna Downtown
Youth Centre; Saskatoon Community Arts Programming Inc. for
the Urban Canvas Project; Les Maisons Transitionnelles 03 for
transitional housing and supports to young families in Montréal.
In 2008 three more organizations will be honoured for their
work with homeless and at-risk youth. They are: |
| |
• SIDA/AIDS Moncton for the
Youth Asset Program
• YWCA of Greater Toronto for Peel Youth Village Residential
Democratic Living Program
• Coming Home Society for Young Wolves Lodge
|
A new initiative that was launched in November 2006 is the national Learning Community. Made up of 12 leading youth serving organizations from across Canada the Learning Community is collaborating to share promising program approaches, and work on other issues of common interest. This unique opportunity sees members of the Learning Community sharing expertise, learning from one another and thereby improving the work we all do across Canada to help homeless youth achieve and maintain self-sufficiency.
Since the inception of Eva's Phoenix, we have been committed to sharing the lessons we have learned through trial and error - and with no road map - with other organizations struggling to do similar work. Through the National Initiative Program, Eva's has successfully continued its innovative work by helping to shape how employment and shelter services are delivered to homeless youth across Canada.
We are very grateful to the Hamilton Community Foundation, the J.W. McConnell Family Foundation, CIBC, Raising the Roof, Deutsche Bank and our other generous funders that have allowed Eva’s to undertake this important work.
For more information about the National Initiative, or the programs of Eva's Phoenix, please contact:
Rachel Gray
Acting Director of National Initiatives
416-977-4497 ext. 127
rachel@evas.ca
|
|
