Skookum Jim Friendship Center (SJFC) – Emergency Youth Shelter Program

OK folks, so two weeks ago, we took our Word on the Street team to a rally held on Main Street outside the Elijah Smith Building. The rally was in support of the Angels Nest Project, a supportive living/ youth shelter program that is having trouble take route. We at Word on the Street took the time to ask some passersby a few questions on how they felt about this situation.

One of our questions asked if people felt that the Skookum Jim Youth Emergency Shelter Program was enough and if we needed a second youth shelter program. The responses were varied and many people seemed confused. Few people knew there already was such a program, and those who did made comments about kids staying in a detox centre and other “unsafe” environments. As promised Word on the Street went out to find the truth of the situation and bring it to you.

First of all, finding information on this program was surprisingly difficult, in the past local press  have been less then helpful about accurately portraying the good this program is trying to do. While we strongly value the role press plays in helping the cause of youth homelessness, there was so much probing into SJFC’s program, and even some misreporting of facts, that program spokespeople at SJFC needed to shy away from press backlash and to be a little more careful about who they talk to and how much they say. Suffice it to say we managed to talk to staff at SJFC and here is what we’ve found.

The Skookum Jim Friendship Center (SJFC) runs a Youth Emergency Shelter Program, this program has a crisis line (335-1216) that youth in the community can call is a youth is in need of shelter or help. The target group is youth aged 17-20 but youth on either side of that age spectrum who are in distress are still welcome to call the line. Many youth have been helped in the past seven months of the this YTG funded pilot program, which runs seven days a week from 9pm to 9am.

The People Have Spoken?

Third Angels Nest Rally Held on September 18^th 2008

On 4pm on September 18^th yet another rally occurred in front of the Elijah Smith Building. It was asking, no that’s not quite strong enough, demanding that the government take notice of them and fund the Angels Nest Project. This project is in dire straits right now, if they don’t receive funding from the Yukon Party for management and operations by October 1^st then the whole thing is in danger of disappearing. As far as I could tell these rally’s weren’t having any real effect on people not already involved, so this week we took our Word on the Street Camera and asking passersby what they thought of the rally. Once again I have to apologize, our video and audio aren’t up and running yet, but I can promise it will be there soon.

So here I am, watching a protest of about 20 young people, watching as cars honk in support and passersby stand with questioning looks as they see this scene unfold. Last week we spoke to most of the protesters and I think it is pretty obvious what they want, so this week I thought we would talk to the viewers and hear their thoughts on the matter, Here are some on their responses to our questions

Does Whitehorse Need a Youth Shelter?

“Yes”

“The government should do something right away”

“Yes it does, and we need to send Fentie back to school because clearly he doesn’t have a brain”

“Too many youth on the streets make me uncomfortable to go out”

“Yes, of course it does”

“I think we need it”

“It does, we have one for 17-20 year olds but nothing for kids who are younger”

“Definitely”

Don’t we already have a Shelter Program with Skookum Jims? Do we really need Another One?

“That’s not a shelter program…” “It’s a couple of beds in a detox center” “it’s not a supportive living environment which is what Angels Nest will be”

“It’s pilot project not really a real program, and detox is a bad environment for youth, it won’t help them get back on their feet”

“That’s total bullshit; the government should at least put some fundings in where youth have a place to go”

“I’ve heard that’s not the most complete program”

Ok, so clearly we need to get some more information out on what this program is, next week I’ll post what the Emergency Shelter Program is and what it’s all about. Anyway for now, back to the questions.

If we need a Shelter so Badly Why Hasn’t the Government Built One?

“It doesn’t earn the government any money, and they don’t do anything that won’t have a return”

“It doesn’t seem to be a priority, with all our issues with alcohol I don’t know why it isn’t”

“I don’t know, that’s a good question”

“You should ask the government that”

“I’m not from here, but in my country this is a very important issue and every kid deserves a home”

“Typical Fentie government, slow to respond or will ignore you completely, if it’s not sports or mining it’s no good. I don’t know that the place on HYDE is a good choice, our youth need a more modern facility”

“Youth are our future”

“Youth are our future”

“Youth are our future”

“Youth are our future”

“Youth are our future”

“Youth are our future”

“Youth are our future”

“Youth are our future”

Ok I’m going to pause here for just a second and give you all my own two sense. If someone comes up to you and asks you a question about youth and government action, and you have no idea what to say, then say that… PLEASE don’t go on about youth being our future, other then it being one of the most painful clichés ever, we all already know this, it isn’t witty, it doesn’t express a viewpoint it just states the obvious in a painfully boring way… we at Word on the Street would take it as a personal kindness if this answer was never given again.

Ok back to the previous question

“Youth are the future”

Do You Believe That These Protests/Actions Will Achieve Anything?

“We can always hope, maybe it will make people more aware”

“I think it makes a difference and it’s a good way to get the word out there”

“I hope so”

“This brings the support of the community to the government’s doorstep”

“I think that anything young people do will make an impact in the long run especially standing up for themselves”

“I sure hope so; cause if it doesn’t this is a crock of shit”

“Shows people we need something”

“It’s an interesting approach, I doubt it will get a lot of attention from the people who matter but at least the community will know about it”

There were a few more but that was the general feeling to it, if you have anything to add or would answer these questions differently please leave us a comment and I will post them. I’d like to take a second and examine the last answer here, it was given by a nice lady named Cathy and I want to thank her for helping make a point.  “I doubt it will get a lot of attention from the people who matter…” WE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT MATTER, have we slipped so far down the scale from indifference to the belief we can’t make a difference. Personally I am on the fence, I don’t know if Angels Nest is the best route for us, but I do think that if the project has the support of the majority of people then what the government WANTS doesn’t matter. We are the government; we pick the people, we have to care more than indifference. And until we do then yes Cathy is right, we won’t get a lot of attention from the people who matter.

So once again organizers have promised to keep protesting every Thursday until they get their way or until nobody cares anymore. Have something to say about this? Let us know. Have questions you want us to ask? Let us know. Have an issue that’s important to you? Let us know. Until next week that’s your Word on the Street

Angels Nest Rally September 11th

Hello, I’m Dave Blottner and this is the Word on the Street Youth Blog. The purpose of this blog is to give youth a voice that will ask the questions and find the news and information that is important and directly affects them. Our first issue (as will likely be many of our issues) is about youth homelessness and our need for a youth shelter here in Whitehorse.

At approximately 4pm on September 11^th the first group of young people wandered up towards the Yukon legislative building, they carried homemade signs and walked with a sense of purpose. Within moments friends, acquaintances, and strangers began to join them with more signs. A truck pulled up with speakers and music and more vehicles parked, now instead of young people it was politicians and community members all coming to have their voice heard and to make their disappointment known.

The signs were all different sizes and colours but they all carried similar messages “Fenties Government Wasted 36m In Faulty Investments But Won’t Shell Out For A Youth Shelter” “I’m not against the Government… I’m For Youth”. I have to admit I quickly felt overwhelmed as about 40 people crowded the sidewalks and began shouting and encouraging cars to honk in support. I quickly shook off the feeling and went about my job speaking with the protesters.

Now due to some technical issues our recordings won’t be able to be posted until next week. So in the mean time here is the low down of what the speakers had to say. First up was Todd Hardy Leader of the NDP Party, he was very much in support of the project and said the Yukon Party was pitting us against each other (referring to the Youth Emergency Shelter Program that they extended through the winter). Arthur Mitchell Leader of the Liberal Party took the stage next. The Honourable Member spoke about how there was no excuse for these delays anymore, this government has the money but lacks the will. He was followed by our MP Larry Bagnell and Green Party Candidate John Streicker with congratulatory comments for the youth and for Vicki Durrant who had fought so hard for so long. After all this a few concerned parents and citizens took the stage speaking from the heart about how important a youth shelter is to Whitehorse. These speeches are pretty interesting and I recommend you all listen to them as soon as they are posted.

todd_hardy

arthur

So what’s the deal here? Why didn’t the government accept a project that had support from 8 different first nations bands, both the NDP and the Liberal Party, our MP, and most of the youth related non profits in town? Well the Yukon News posted a letter in the paper from MLA Glen Heart to Victoria Durrant Executive Director of the Youth of Today Society; the letter essentially said that the government had three main complaints

1) The proposal lacked a “needs analysis”

2) The proposal lacked a “Detailed budget outlining reasons why your proposal is considerably more expensive than existing shelter options.”

3) The proposal lacked “Evidence that the programming you are proposing will be delivered by credentialed staff.”

So what does this mean, can’t we fix these things and try again? Apparently not, in order to get the house that will make it all happen YOTS needed funding by September 1^st. The project looks like his has one more shot before it is completely shut down, but it has to raise a lot of money by October 1^st if they have and chance at all. What does this project mean to the youth? The Angels Nest is a project designed to help youth 18-25, if you’re under 18 they won’t turn you away but they will be calling Family and Children’s Services to look into why you have nowhere to go. If you fall with the age group and need a bit of a leg up (as many of us do from time to time) this project could save your life. Where does that put us now? Is the Yukon Party going to have a change of heart after two protests in two weeks? Well so far I’ve have been unable to reach and members for questions but I’ll keep trying. So here we are, and I bet I know what you’re thinking, what can I do to help? Or this project is total crap! Well either way you should do the same thing, get on the forums at www.yukonyouth.com or send us an email at: yukonwordonthestreet@gmail.com and let us know what you think. Like I said we are here to be your voice, we’ll take your questions to the people who can best answer them. Well for this week, that’s your WORD ON THE STREET.

A Year Gone By

Hello All,

It appears another year has come and gone, and it is time for us to dust off the old blog and take stock of what has been happening in our fair community of Whitehorse, I can promise in the coming months we will try and keep an up to date and accurate count of what issues Yukon youth are facing. We missed you all dearly and thanks for waiting for us to come back, nows the time to find out what exactly is the word on the street