My Home Project

 

      Since October of 1997 EGADZ Youth Center through the Street Outreach program has partnered with the Department of Social Services to operate a pilot housing project entitled "My Home". The "My Home" project came about as part of the solution to address the needs of 16 and 17 year old females wanting to exit the street, and seek to look at a more positive lifestyle for themselves. The "My Home" project is a safe environment where individuals in the home have input with respect to how the home operates. This has created a sense of ownership. Through the "My Home" project a youth committee has been established to look at guidelines and issues with respect to youth housing for other individual youth wanting to exit their street lifestyle.

 

      The “My Home” concept is one that offers supported semi independent living which utilizes a mentor who has had past knowledge and an understanding of the street lifestyle, this person is there to assist and support young women who desire the opportunity to exit their street lifestyle and become successful in obtaining independence in their lives.  The “My Home Too is also a home for younger children and youth 12 to 15 years of age.  The homes are supervised and supported by EGADZ Youth Centre and is financially supported by the Provincial Department of Community Resources. The “My Home” model provides those who choose to live there the opportunity for ownership in the home and ultimately a catalyst for each persons own success, it is on this premise that the name for the home was developed to embody those sentiments.  EGADZ  has recently built on this model  by creating two more homes for young women 18 to 23 years old, two more staffed homes for youth aged 12-16 years, with another house donated that is being utilized for teen moms.