NEW GLASGOW – As a school principal, Ken Francis knew some of his students were living less than ideal lives in their home.
He said he knew some of his students were couch surfing and relying on friends to feed them their next meal. He also knew that many Pictou County residents weren’t aware this was happening around them.
“When I was a school principal, I saw more than enough students couch surfing,” he said. “When I started talking to them, they would open up about their personal situations and confide in you. They would say, ‘Don’t worry, I am couch surfing now, but it will pass,’ but then you find out later that they are still doing it.”
Francis said he has also heard from youths who spent nights sleeping in the back of vehicles because they didn’t want to go home.
“Sometimes people believe it’s beyond the belly of Pictou County,” he said. “They can’t believe it is happening around here.”
Francis said youth homelessness might be more common among teens, ages 16 to 19, but he has seen it at the middle school level as well.
He said many youths who are homeless or couch surfing will travel to more urban centres like Halifax, but some stay around the county because they want closure.
In larger urban centres, he said, people will see youths sleeping on sidewalks, but if it happens in smaller communities like Pictou County, the youths try to be more discreet about their situations.
“Many of the youths in this situation feel that they are at fault and they don’t want to put the profile or spotlight on them,” he said. “They think their neighbours or friends will look down on them.”
Francis said in many cases, these youths are victims who need support from each other and the community to move on.
Francis said when he retired from the schools in 2006, he knew he wanted to work with youths who were homeless so he joined the Pictou County United Way and volunteered with others who recognized this as problem in the county.
A few years later, the Roots for Youth Society was formed and in July 2011 it opened the Roots House at 603 East River Road in New Glasgow. Its mandate is to offer a safe, supportive, non-judgmental environment where youth aged 16-19 can have a meal, do their laundry, take a shower and talk with youth counselors. It is currently open from 4 to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Short term emergency overnight accommodations are also provided to youth.
As co-chair of Roots for Youth Society, Francis said he isn’t surprised by the number of youths visiting the East River Road location.
“We did a survey in 2008 with the county’s 2,000 high school students and at that time 27 of them were identified as being homeless or at risk of being homeless. We knew we had some concrete data to work with.”
He stressed that the shelter is not a “drop-in centre,” but rather a place where youths can not only get a good meal and a shower, but also access to community resources that can better their situations.
“We want to be able to help them for the long term,” he said. “This is not a Band-Aid approach. We are very fortunate to have different community agencies out there helping us.”
Francis said he has seen youths benefit from the Roots for Youth shelter and knows the program is working in the community. He said the Roots House is a place for youths to find the support they need, which sometimes comes from each other.
“We don’t turn away any students, but everyone is encouraged to keep up with their school work. It’s a great feeling to walk in and see them working on their homework at the house. They are there for each other and put a smile on each others faces. It’s not all about adult support.”
Roots for Youth Society hosting fundraiser Feb. 14
The Roots for Youth Society is hosting its Heart and Home for Youth fundraiser Tuesday, Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at Glasgow Square. The event, hosted by Scotiabank, features music by Jim Dorie, Fleur Mainville, North Nova Jazz Choir, Jakki Rogue, Ian Sherwood, Molly Thomason and Duncan Williams. A silent auction and door prizes will also be available with proceeds going to the supportive house for youth in transition.
The Roots for Youth Society is also selling ‘Raising the Roof’ tuques at various locations as a fundraiser and tuque day will take place Feb. 7.
