The YEAH Program works in the community to support youth with finding and maintaining safe, affordable, market housing, while encouraging their continued commitment to their goals around mental wellness, physical wellness, life-skills, education, and employment. The YEAH Program offers support with housing searches, viewing places to rent, communicating with landlords, outreach support, individualized wellness planning, learning life-skills, group sessions focusing on psychoeducational and life-skills topics, connecting with education and employment support and opportunities, access to Food Bank, start-up supplies, and a rental supplement of up to $450 per month.
Who can participate?
Youth who:
• Are between the ages of 16 – 24 years old (youth can start the program beyond the age of 25, as long as they have completed a referral before they turn 25 years old).
• Are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• Are in need of financial assistance (based on individual assessments).
• Are willing to live in the metro Vancouver/greater Vancouver area.
• Are willing to attend appointments with the YEAH Program Case Manager at least once per month.
• Are willing to attend YEAH Program monthly psychoeducational/life-skills group sessions.
• Are connected with at least one other professional whom provides them with support. They must meet with this person at least once per month. This may be a counsellor, psychiatrist, social worker, mental health worker, support worker, employment counsellor, or other professional.
• Are working towards becoming more financially independent.
• Have a plan to work towards life goals, such as education and/or employment.
• Agree to follow the program guidelines.
• Voluntarily wish to participate.
While in the program, youth are expected to meet with the YEAH Program Case Manager at least once per month, meet with another professional support at least once per month, attend YEAH Program group sessions at least once per month, and continually work towards life goals. Life goals may include vocational, educational, recovery-based, and other goals which support wellness, stability and integration into the participants’ community.
If you would like to make a referral to the program when we are accepting referrals for the waitlist, please refer by one of the following options:
- You can fill out the referral form online or print it out and complete it by hand. After you
have completed the form, please submit it using one of the following options:
- Email the form to: Dustin@watari.ca
- Fax the form to: 604-254-6985
- Drop-off the form at the Watari office at #200 – 678 East Hastings Street in Vancouver
- You can also complete the form verbally over the phone by phoning the YEAH Program Case Manager at 604-782-9417