Youth Housing Program Application Form

Wesley Youth Housing

The Wesley Youth Housing Program aids in addressing the issues of youth age 16-21 years of age who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness youth and helps with housing, safety, skill development, education, employment and building a new life through a two-year program that develops the necessary skills for youth to move to independence in the community.

Wesley Youth Housing is Hamilton's only transitional housing program for youth with 24-hour support and crisis intervention, and an emphasis on learning skills to live independently. This 19 bed facility is specifically designed for street-involved and homeless youth. Two stages of housing provides different levels of support in order to help youth transition to live successfully on their own. While in the program, youth attend school or work and modestly contribute a monthly rent payment. Life skills classes teach time management, grocery shopping, cooking, and budgeting to increase knowledge and future independence. Staff connect youth to community services to meet and improve individual needs, such as substance use issues and mental health. Social and recreational activities create a positive community environment for the youth to live.

The Challenge

At least 600 of Hamilton’s Youth Are Street-Involved or Homeless Right Now.  That is the challenge facing Wesley Urban Ministries as we work to support street-involved, homeless or at risk youth in our community.  To learn more about the Addressing the Needs of Street-Involved Youth reports authored by the Social Planning & Research Council in partnership with the Street Youth Planning Collaborative, click here.

The Need

The Wesley Youth Housing Program is a genuine partnership effort. Partnership funding is provided to Wesley Urban Ministries to aid in supporting the financial requirements of the program. In addition, the youth contribute a small amount of funds for their accommodations. However, Wesley Urban Ministries must still raise the remaining funds necessary to maintain operation and support the critical program.
 

The Solution

By bringing youth who are staying in shelters and living on the street into the housing program, our ultimate objective is to move the youth from the “street” to permanently housed and independent individuals in our community.The Wesley Youth Housing Program offers the street-involved or homeless youth (ranging in age from 16-21 years)access to safe, affordable, one-year housing with on-site support programs to aid the youth in building the skills necessary to reach their ultimate goal.