Shelterlink calls for funding stabilization amid youth homelessness challenges

At the May 11 council meeting, Cate Trudeau, Shelterlink executive director, and Cambria Ravenhill, board director, spoke to council to request immediate and medium-term actions to address youth homelessness in Stratford and Perth County.

Last winter, Shelterlink experienced significant staffing challenges after several employees left to work at the city-funded warming centre. While unintended, the staffing losses placed considerable strain on Shelterlink’s operations and nearly resulted in a temporary closure of the organization during a time when demand for services was especially high.

“Shelterlink has had financial challenges over its 35-year existence, but we have some very specific challenges that came to light this past winter, and we are looking to fill a rather urgent need for stabilization measures as we go into this winter,” said Ravenhill. “Last winter, there were changes in local services, which increased competition for frontline staff.”

Ravenhill said the introduction of the warming centre greatly affected staffing because the warming centre was able to offer staff $5 more per hour, and Shelterlink could not compete with its current available funding.

“In short, Shelterlink lost four staff members in about one week in early December, and that’s four out of 12 staff,” said Ravenhill. “So a third went, and they were most of our night staff and all of our maintenance staff. This created a huge operational challenge. It was very hard for remaining staffers who had to fill in. We came very close to forcing a temporary closure of the shelter.”

Shelterlink, which has been operating for 35 years, has evolved from a youth homeless shelter to an organization that helps prevent youth homelessness and provide faster housing transitions through community supports.

“Today, Shelterlink’s work extends well beyond shelter,” said Trudeau. “We help youth avoid entering shelter through prevention or diversion, support faster transitions into stable housing, and provide follow-up supports to help youth remain housed and connected to their community.”

She continued to tell council that this approach matters because youth require a specialized response, one that recognizes their stage of development, their heightened vulnerability and the importance of early intervention for homelessness.

Last fiscal year, Shelterlink supported 33 youth in the community and diverted an additional third to alternative housing. However, the organization faces financial challenges, including a $142,100 shortfall and a broader structural funding issue.

Council was asked to help stabilize operations and review the funding model to better reflect actual costs and best practices.

Funding models from the province are also an issue, as financial assistance is tied to per diem payments for occupied shelter beds. Because Shelterlink has been successful in keeping youth out of the shelter by increasing community support, its provincial funding has also decreased, meaning the bulk of its funding is municipal and donation-based.

“When Shelterlink was created 35 years ago, it was a shelter; it was just emergency beds,” said Ravenhill. “But now, it’s an entirely programmatic approach to youth homelessness that offers upfront prevention to help youth move into successful adulthood.”

According to the Everyone Counts 2024 Highlights Report, 46 per cent of chronically homeless adults first experienced homelessness before the age of 25. This highlights the long-term consequences when youth homelessness is not prevented or resolved quickly. The longer a young person remains homeless, the greater the risks of school disruption, exploitation and lasting negative outcomes.

To learn more or support Shelterlink, visit www.shelterlink.org