Youth Reconnect

These programs provide connections to support and housing services for at-risk youth within their community.

Youth Reconnect Programs act as portals to the supports and services offered in each home communities.

Programs are available in:

• Fort Erie
• Port Colborne
• Grimsby
• West Niagara
• St.Catharines
• Welland
• Niagara Falls

The Youth Reconnect Programs bring all of the services and assistance of the RAFT to these communities.

The programs also work to connect individuals with the services they need as well as provide advocacy when it is needed.

What is Youth Reconnect?

This service is designed to help youth without secure housing access services and supports within their own community.

By helping youth remain in their home communities these young people can give back both socially and economically.

In the past, housing support services were not available in the community and at-risk youth often found themselves forced to leave their community to secure housing.

Click Here to download a review of the program.

Who is the target population?

The RAFT focuses on supporting high-risk youth who are:

• without stable family, peer or community supports;
• experiencing difficulty accessing current community support services;
• homeless or at risk of becoming homeless;
• in danger of dropping out of school;
• engaging in unhealthy lifestyle choices including drug abuse, addiction and criminal behaviour

What does a Youth Reconnect Worker do?

A Youth Reconnect Worker:

• coordinates access to services to ensure basic individual needs of youth are met
• links individual youth to appropriate services locally and regionally
• supports youth in transitional housing

What is the role of the Youth Without Secure Housing Committee?

The Youth Without Secure Housing Committee is a Regional Committee comprised of service providers from across Niagara.

The committee coordinates the youth reconnection services across the Region and is committed to ensuring that youth have the right to access safe and appropriate housing and support services in their own communities.

Find out more about Youth Reconnect or other programs