Open Door Youth Homelessness and Housing Needs Assessment

The ACSRC completed a short term needs assessment for The Open Door, in order to establish the nature, scope and potential opportunities and challenges facing rural youth homeless in the Camrose region. Youths aged 16 to 24 who are unable to live with their parents/guardians are increasingly vulnerable to becoming homeless due to an insufficient supply of affordable rental housing in Camrose and surrounding areas. Furthermore, this youth population faces a number of additional challenges and service requirements due to mental health and addiction problems, exposure to abuse and family violence, lack of educational and employment opportunities and/or having been in conflict with the law.

This project was a first step toward the thorough analysis of the needs of homeless and at-risk youth in order to identify gaps in service and to develop a strategic action plan for The Open Door.

*Update*

The Open Door has since created transitional housing for their target population.