Recap of the Youth Homelessness Prevention Forum

Coalition Jeunes+ held its second forum on preventing youth homelessness and upholding youth rights on April 30 and May 1, 2024, in Quebec City. The aim of this event, titled “Tire-toi une bûche” (“pull up a chair”), was to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to collectively reflect on how we, as a society, can prevent youth homelessness and discuss some of the concrete steps involved in making this happen.

The forum was attended by more than 250 people from a range of backgrounds, including youth with lived experience, students, researchers, elected officials and representatives of community organizations and government agencies (health and social services, education and public safety). A total of 15 workshops addressing lived experience, field experience and theoretical knowledge related to youth homelessness prevention were held. Topics covered included the transition to adulthood, the realities facing 2SLGBTQIA+ people, peer support, intersectoral collaboration and participatory research.

Created at the initiative of Dans la rue in 2018, Coalition Jeunes+ brings together a group of partners committed to preventing homelessness. These include young people with lived experience, representatives of community and umbrella organizations, and stakeholders from the field of research. Their goal is to eliminate the root causes of homelessness and help bring equal opportunities to all Quebec youth.