SPRE National Accelerator Spotlight:
360°kids

360°kids was founded in 1989 when people in York Region noticed something deeply concerning: young people experiencing homelessness were being placed in adult shelters or sent to Toronto, displacing them from their community and support systems. Local partners asked for help, and in response, the ministry provided funding used to support 13 beds for youth, which 360 managed. Over the last three decades, the organization grew from two residential homes into a regional anchor that now supports more than 3,600 young people across 30 programs that provide access to housing, employment, education and wraparound programs every year.

The reasons youth experience homelessness in York Region are complex, with family breakdown being the most significant factor. Once on the streets, they face additional barriers including lack of affordable housing, high rental costs, lack of employment and discrimination. Although the Black population represents only 3 percent of York Region’s population, they represent 20-30% of those who experience homelessness in the region. Twenty-seven percent of unhoused youth in York Region identify as LGBTQ2S+, far higher than the general youth population. Mental health challenges are also widespread, with 81 percent reporting experiencing them, and more than half reporting difficulties with cognition or memory. For young people experiencing these barriers, lack of stable housing is not simply a matter of needing shelter. As 360°kids states, death can be an outcome of youth homelessness.

As a result of the housing crisis, with fewer housing options available for young people, 360°kids has continued to respond with agility and innovation in its housing programs for youth. One example is its Nightstop Program, an accredited model that trains community members with spare bedrooms to become hosts for youth for short periods of time, offering not only housing but belonging in the community. 360°kids also offers emergency housing for up to 4 months and several Transitional housing programs, with support, for approximately 1 year.

Youth can also access longer-term housing with less support through the Transitions Program, a scattered site model which provides stable housing for approximately 3 years, where their “rent” increases gradually over a 3-year period. This gradual model gives youth time to gain stability, secure income, and build the confidence to eventually rent independently.

Partnerships have become increasingly essential to securing additional housing as the housing market continues to squeeze people out. Partnerships with government, United Way of Greater Toronto, non-profit housing developers, non-profit organizations like Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), and private sector partners such as Home Depot Canada, have allowed 360°kids to expand its portfolio of housing over the past 4 years to meet the housing needs of young people with an eye to specific populations of young people who are over-represented in homelessness, such as Black youth and youth leaving care.

360°kids has spent decades filling a critical gap for youth who experience homelessness, and their work shows how safety, stability and community can transform a young person’s future. The National Accelerator is supporting 360°kids to strengthen internal capacity and create more consistency across their growing portfolio of housing projects across York Region.