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Covenant House, Canada’s largest shelter for homeless youth, has offered help and hope to more than 50,000 young people since opening in 1982. Kids come to Covenant House from every background and from every part of the country. Most are between 16 and 19 and have fled or been forced out of abusive or neglectful homes. Much more than a shelter, Covenant House provides young people with tools to build independent lives by offering them education, counseling, life skills training, job training and vocational assistance. Our services include: Crisis Care: In a 94-bed shelter crisis shelter, Covenant House staff take care of the immediate needs with nutritious meals, medical attention, clean clothes, safety from the streets, and structure to help rebuild lives. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, shelter is offered nightly to as many as 80 youth between the ages of 16 and 22. Longer-Term Housing: The Rights of Passage program is a longer-term transitional housing program for 28 young people. Youth have a room of their own for up to 15 months while they either work full-time or continue their education and work part-time. Participants share responsibility for common areas, learn life skills such as cooking and household budgeting, and save money toward their independence. Outreach: Covenant House counselors reach out to homeless and runaway youth by going out on the street to offer food, clothing, and counseling. Covenant House also works closely with other child welfare agencies, hospitals, and probation offices to ensure that youth on the street know that help is available. “Covenant House provides young Community Support Services: Young people not living at Covenant House can visit the Community Support Services (CSS) for a meal, a shower and clean clothes. Youth also can seek counseling, recreational activities, and connect with other Covenant House programs for assistance. A small food bank, baby food, diapers, and household items like dishes are available for lower income families in the community. In-House High School: At the In-House High School, specifically tailored courses are offered to give youth the confidence and credits towards their diploma from a community school. Job Centre: At the Job Centre, assistance is available for job search strategies, job leads, resume writing, computer access and interview techniques. Also provided are appropriate business clothing and individual job counseling.
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