From at Risk to at Home

by Rebecca Bollwitt Monday, November 17th, 2025 — 7:36pm PST

The #CHVCatchUp is a monthly series featuring the latest updates and news from Covenant House Vancouver, written by the CHV team. Miss604 is proud to be the Official Blog Partner of CHV.

From at Risk to at Home

At Risk

A young person could find themselves without a stable and safe place to call home for a number of reasons, such as: family poverty, loss of parents, rejection from family, and/or escaping abuse. Many have experienced trauma and have not learned important life skills that they need to survive on their own.

According to the 2025 Homeless Count in Greater Vancouver:

At least 5,232 individuals in the region are homeless, up 9% compared to 2023
Youth under the age of 25 accounted for 6% of the total homeless population counted (172 in total)
Of those, exactly half were unsheltered — the highest rate of unsheltered amongst any age group

The Warm Embrace

Covenant House Vancouver (CHV) is more than just a shelter. They offer a one-size-fits-one approach to address the needs of young people whose overlapping mental health, substance use, trauma, medical health, and other challenges require specialized support.

A young person on the street is hungry, tired, untrusting, and often in fight or flight mode. When they arrive at CHV, they are provided with a room, hot meals and snacks, a place to shower and do laundry, a sense of community, and support. It’s akin to when you feel ill and someone nurtures you back to health.

That is what CHV calls The Warm Embrace — a continuum of care that supports the whole person — mind, body, and spirit.

Here’s what The Warm Embrace might look like:

Clothing: last year, 15,000+ items of clothing provided youth dignity and confidence
Art therapy: youth can express feelings and emotions without retelling a traumatic story
Counselling/mental health support: across all programs and services
Spiritual and cultural care: inclusive support for youth of all faiths and traditions
Recreation: to foster peer connections, such as hiking, bowling, exposure to the arts
Physical health: youth have access to a fully equipped gym and fitness room
Meals: nutritional meals and snacks to fuel minds and bodies
Educational support: help with applications, scholarship opportunities, and school supplies
Employment support: help with resume writing, interview skills, certifications, and safety wear
Life skills: such as cooking, budgeting, renting, and communication

The Bridge Back

The Warm Embrace helps youth work through their trauma and develop the skills needed to survive on their own, in a safe environment. But how do youth then reintegrate back into society? That’s where The Bridge Back comes into play. The Bridge Back means helping youth create and maintain stability, as they look to the future, to prevent the reoccurrence of homelessness. It’s providing youth with the tools to succeed on their own.

The Bridge Back often starts in CHV’s Rights of Passage program. Here, youth are provided with a private suite with a shared kitchen and common spaces. While in Rights of Passage, youth set goals and create an action plan, learn life skills, such as cooking and budgeting, receive support to maintain employment or set educational goals, and create a housing transition plan. In addition, there are social, recreational, and wellness opportunities for them to participate in.

When ready, youth transition into community housing. Community housing allows youth to:

Live in an independent space and further develop their life skills
Learn about the rental market and how to be a good tenant
Learn how to support themselves
Still feel connected to CHV

At Home

Over the last five years, Covenant House Vancouver has helped 500+ youth find a safe place to call home. You can help youth find their way home, and there’s no better time than now!

From now, until December 31^st, Covenant House Vancouver is running their Double Match Campaign. Thanks to the generosity of Scotiabank and The Steven Chambers Foundation, who are each contributing $50,000, every dollar you give will be matched to double your impact.

Your support can literally change the trajectory of a young person’s life. Donate today.

Follow Covenant House Vancouver on Facebook for updates.