Working Upstream Receives SSHRC Partnership Development Grant

CUYR’s Jacqueline Kennelly received a Partnership Development Grant. Kennelly’s project, Working Upstream, is aimed at preventing and ending youth homelessness by improving existing policies to create better educational responses.

Her research recognizes that Canada will not be able to successfully address the homelessness crisis if preventative approaches are not integrated into Canada’s policies. The project has found that adult homelessness often starts in youth. With schools acting as second homes for youth, it’s the place to start preventing adult homelessness before it begins.

“Currently schools do not have homelessness on their radar, at least not officially,” says Kennelly. “Individual teachers or principals might be aware of the situations for some young people who are homeless, but we need to develop provincial standards to ensure that young people are connected with supports as soon as they are at risk of homelessness.”

Working Upstream will build on school-based prevention by asking important questions and connecting children with the best support.

Through workshops, webinars and curriculum recommendations, the project hopes to gather evidence-based resources to inform school professionals about how they can best prevent homelessness.

Read the full press release here