Describe where this program fits in YESS’ mission to walk beside youth on their journeys towards healing.

First and foremost, Nexus meets the very basic needs of our youth (food, water, showers, clothing, bed) to eliminate the stress associated with inconsistent access to resources which meet these needs. We provide stability by being a predictable and stable environment that the youth can rely on, no matter the circumstances or what day of the year it is. The format of the program remains consistent, while still allowing for the leniency where we can truly meet a youth where they are at and accommodate any barriers they may be dealing with. We act as the first response to crisis diversion when crises arise, and function as a triage, using our relationships with the youth and the community to complete warm handoffs to other resources if Nexus cannot meet the needs of the youth. Nexus’ top priority is safety and operates with a focus on the physical safety as well as the felt-safety of every client in the program. Nexus staff build relationships with each youth through co-creation of boundaries and unconditional positive regard that allows the youth to make mistakes and learn from them in a safe environment that is free of judgment. Relationships are fostered and strengthened through relational practice where the youths can learn about rupture, repair, and healthy attachment via relationships with staff members. Communication initiated by staff is done in a tone of curiosity and acceptance, and any support or guidance is youth-led rather than imposed by staff. The program expectations that are enforced are intended to model healthy communication and life skills, such as respectful conflict resolution or even basic hygiene practices.

In what ways has the COVID-19 crisis affected youth and staff in this program?

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a huge amount of anxiety and fear for both the youth and the staff, as we all collectively endure this global trauma. It has fundamentally destabilized the youth’s felt-safety by disrupting their physical, relational, cultural, and legal permanency. Their routines have been forced to change as the places they typically hang out in are unavailable, government offices are closed, cultural practices or events have been cancelled, and they are consistently reminded of the importance of isolating themselves from loved ones. The number of resources available to our youth has greatly decreased, including day programs and housing options, causing feelings of despair, helplessness, and being trapped. Since the precautions for the pandemic have been implemented, we have seen an increase in mental health concerns, leading to more frequent emotional disregulation and outbursts, an increase in suicidal ideation and drug use, as well as a decrease in connection between youth and staff.  The policies that are necessary to reducing viral exposure such as social distancing, reduced contact between staff and youth, and wearing masks have created systemic and environmental barriers which prevent relationship building and maintenance. These policies are enforced in a more black and white manner than program policies typically are, changing the environment of the shelter from authoritative to authoritarian, which has the potential to cause strain on relationships. This may also amplify the youth’s existing feelings of rejection, loneliness, and loss. Last but not least, the widespread communication that we must isolate for the safety of others only acts to reaffirm the youth’s internalized worthlessness, which has long since been established by the experience of having their needs consistently disregarded and being marginalized by society.

What is one thing you wish the wider community knew about YESS youth?

They are humans who deserve the same amount of respect, compassion, and regard as any other human. They are young adults between the ages of 15-25, each being a unique individual with their own goals, talents, and personalities. They are smart, funny, kind, caring, strong, and incredibly resilient. They do not deserve the traumas associated with homelessness or addiction. They do not deserve to be judged or disregarded by society.

Describe where this program fits in YESS’ mission to walk beside youth on their journeys towards healing.

The Nexus overnight shelter meets a youth’s basic needs in order to allow the youth to focus on their bigger goals rather than survival. Developmentally, youth are meant to working on figuring out their identity; who they are and where they fit in the world. They should be solidifying their values, their social skills, their competencies, their passions, and preparing for life as an adult. It takes tremendous mental and emotional effort to navigate this time in all of our lives. There is no energy to work on those important milestones if you haven’t eaten in days, if you are worried about freezing to death in the winter cold, if you have to protect yourself from the constant threat of physical attacks, or if you are traversing addiction or mental health issues. Nexus is able to provide safety, shelter, food, clothing, toiletries, and other basic needs so that the youth can focus on all of the psychological, social, emotional, and physical development that their bodies are naturally throwing at them. Nexus staff are also able to support the youth in their journeys at a personal level. Staff have a deep understanding of trauma and systemic barriers which effect all of our youth. We do not guide the youth’s journey as it is not for us to decide who a youth will become and where their journey will take them, instead we walk beside them, we help them to understand their options, help them to remove barriers and allow them the space to figure out for themselves where they want to go.

In what ways has the COVID-19 crisis affected youth and staff in this program?

The world is wrestling with adjusting to new norms, none of this is easy for any of us. In that way, our youth are very much struggling with the same things all of us are. Many of their places for respite have closed down, like libraries and other youth-supporting agencies. Many youth that had found jobs have now lost them. Many who were seeking work are now on hold indefinitely. Many who had excitedly managed to get into their own home are now at threat of losing what they had worked so hard for. Many youth have had their education plans disrupted after months or years of trying to get back on track. Many youth that have made positive strides in their mental health and addiction journeys are now falling backwards.

It takes incredible resiliency for our youth to move to past the barriers in their life to attain their goals, so one of the most heartbreaking parts of the COVID-19 crisis for staff has been to watch these hard-fought gains suddenly slip away, sometimes completely out of their reach, and through no fault of their own.  

What is one thing you wish the wider community knew about YESS youth?

I wish people understood the complexity of each individual youth’s journey. There is no single way that youth become homeless and no single path that will remove them from homelessness.

Happy Spring, everyone!

May 4, 2020 marks a significant day in Alberta history as our government starts to open restrictions surrounding public gatherings and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

At YESS, we are cautiously optimistic. We have worked very hard with our youth agency partners to ensure young people experiencing homelessness in our city have the basic needs, supports, and safe isolation spaces they need.

Within the span of six weeks, we have created screening and isolation protocols for our staff and youth, expanded our cleaning protocol and hired external cleaners, rearranged schedules and staffing to have our overnight shelter and daytime Armoury Resource Centre offer a safe space 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and are working collaboratively with our agency partners to create a coordinated screening and referral process. 

We have everyone who can work at home doing so, and we are working directly with our partners at AHS, EPS and Children’s Services to ensure we are following the most recent protocols and recommendations. This will not change until the risk is gone. As of today, we still have no confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 amongst youth and staff.

The reality, however, is that we still need to be very careful. We have a population of young people who are typically run down and immunocompromised and our staff are essential services who must keep themselves and their families healthy. This has not been easy on any one and I believe this quote from one of our Overnight Shelter Supervisor says it all.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created a huge amount of anxiety and fear for both the youth and the staff, as we all collectively endure this global trauma. It has fundamentally destabilized the youth’s felt-safety by disrupting their physical, relational, cultural, and legal permanency. – Camiel Friend, Nexus Overnight Shelter Supervisor

Our one job remains: to walk beside youth on their journey towards healing and appropriate community integration. And, interestingly, our message doesn’t change. We can only do this together, all of us. Even in this time of physical distancing we cannot do this in emotional, mental, or spiritual isolation. We are in this together and we will only heal together.

This May we are launching our first all-online campaign. One of the other significant effects of this pandemic is that we have had to pivot our fundraising efforts, along with all of our charity partners. I know this is a very difficult time for many people, and so we ask only that you think of us and help where you can. I have been so impressed with how our community has risen and joined hearts to take care of each other. I hope that this is only the beginning of that effort because when we heal together, we thrive together.