Open since 1999, Broadway Youth Resource Centre (BYRC) is an integrated one-stop centre that provides a wide range of social, health, education, employment and life skills services to homeless and at-risk youth between the ages of 12 and 24.
Kwayatsut
The “Kwayatsut” building is the home of the Broadway Youth Resource Centre where tenants can access community-based mental and physical health care; addictions services; household management and meal preparation; money management and community living skills.
The building has 99 suites of housing, including both bachelor and two bedroom units. 30 suites in the building are for youth ages 16-24 and specifically set aside for those populations who are most vulnerable to homelessness: Aboriginal, youth in /leaving foster care, and LGBTQ2S* youth. A minimum of 10 of the 30 beds are reserved for LGBTQ2S youth.
A participant can live in the Kwayatsut Youth Housing Program for a maximum of two years, or up to their 25th birth-date (whichever comes first), with the possibility of being transferred to another housing program should they need more time and support in their transition to adulthood.
These suites are self-contained bachelor apartments with a bathroom, kitchen, living room and storage space. All suites are fully furnished and subsidized by BC Housing at income assistance rates ($375.00), or if working, rent-geared-to-income of 30%. Each participant has a Youth Housing Support Worker assigned to work one-to-one with them, to develop a personal goal-focused plan and to support the participant’s life-skills development. The Youth Housing Support Worker also visits each participant regularly to ensure the upkeep of their suite and participation in building maintenance.
Goal
The goal of the Kwayatsut Youth Housing Program is to assist youth with personal support, life skills development, skills in maintaining housing and building community.
Entry Criteria
- 16 to 24 years of age
- Willingness to attend a work/learning program (i.e. work, school, life/job skills program, volunteering)
- Ability to Pay rent ($375.00)
- Willingness to follow program guidelines
- Low Income/Multiple Barriers
- Currently homeless, including couch-surfing, or precariously housed
- Willing to live in a safe, supported community that is inclusive of young people from a diversity of backgrounds: including people who identify as aboriginal, youth of colour, newcomers, youth with various physical and developmental abilities, former youth in care, lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender, two-spirit, and queer youth.
Contact Information
Tyler Schaus
Supervisor
Kwayatsut Youth Housing Program
tschaus@pcrs.ca
Category
Transitional housing