In 1978, a group of people noticed a huge gap in services for young people in Alberta. Until the age of sixteen, youth in crisis could access Child and Family Services. After they turned eighteen, the adult support systems opened up to them. See a problem here?
You got it. After their sixteenth birthday and until their eighteenth birthday, there were no resources available to them. For two years—two very important years in anyone’s life—these young people had no one to turn to. No assistance for housing. No one to help them get through high school. No one to help them eat, sleep, or live safely.
It’s not surprising that a lot of these youth ended up on the streets, became involved with drugs or prostitution, and just gave up on trying to graduate from high school. As anyone who has been through this can tell you, two years on your own at the age of sixteen can set the tone for the rest of your life.
In 1981, YESS opened its doors at 9310-82 Avenue, providing shelter, safety, and hope to youth facing difficult realities. Over the years, thousands of kids have come through our doors. We’ve given them options, support, and a future.
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Meet Our Youth: Gabriel’s Story
The Power of Play When Gabriel first came to YESS he was dropped off by his friend’s mom. He had left his parents’ home, angry after a disagreement and without…
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Spring Recipe from The Organic Box
The Organic Box provides hundreds of dollars’ worth of produce to our kitchens every week. They have also shared their passion for helping our youth with their Food Family initiative,…
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Meet Our Youth: Alyssa’s Story
After Alyssa made her life-changing decision to come to YESS, it was still a journey for her to open up to staff and ask for what she needed. She was…