What’s good, free or fun and available to kids, youth and teens with limited or no money? How do you keep yourself safe in a crowd? What was it like going to a shelter for the first time? Our youth team has a lot of ideas and experience on topics that are important to you.
Have an idea for an article you’d like to write? Yes please! We want to hear from you and post your work. Contact the team via email and tell us about your idea.
Who Designs the System and Who Lives with the Consequences
It is common to hear people say that those in charge of policymaking are fixing systems and creating change. Sometimes that feels reassuring, and sometimes it feels distant. I often find myself thinking about what I would do if I were really in charge and whether decisions would look different if they were shaped by people who have actually lived the challenges policies try to solve. Power often sits at the top while experience stays at the margins…
Youth Advisory Team Does Montreal
In late October 2025, the Youth Advisory Team ventured east to present a beta, almost pre-alpha version of the Youth Resiliency Hub at the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness’ National Conference in the heart of Montreal. The event brought together leaders, social workers, policymakers, and youth advocates from across Canada who are working to address youth homelessness and improve mental health support for at-risk youth…
When Support Exists, But Is Out of Reach
At 16, turning 17, I was a young person who needed help and stability. I reached out to different organizations and services in the city I was living in, hoping someone could guide me. Instead, I kept getting passed from one place to another. No clear direction, no real support, just closed doors and confusion. What hurt the most was not only that help wasn’t available; it was that nobody could even show me where to find it. When you’re already struggling, that kind of experience slowly takes away your hope…
First Night in A Youth Shelter: 5 Things You Need
If you’re reading this because you’re heading into a youth shelter—or already there—take a breath. The first night can feel overwhelming, confusing, and scary. That’s normal. You’re not weak for feeling that way. You’re human.
Here are five things young people say matter most on their first night in a youth shelter—not the things people assume you need, but what actually helps….
How I Found Community At Strides
I had a textbook case of post-graduate depression last year. Nothing could have prepared me for leaving an environment where everyone was more or less in the same boat. Sure, I struggled to connect with people at school. However, I wish I could tell my younger self to stop taking school’s social aspect for granted. It’s exponentially harder to meet people in the real world, let alone relate to them. And everything’s heavier when you feel you’re carrying it alone…
Youth Resiliency Hub 