TABLE OF CONTENTS

REPORTS OF THE STANDING COMMITTEES

AND OTHER COMMITTEES

As Considered by

The Council of the City of Toronto

on November 25, 26 and 27, 1998

COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE

AND EMERGENCY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE

JOINT REPORT No. 1

1 Squeegee Diversion Strategy for Street-Involved Homeless Youth

2 Other Item Considered by the Committees

City of Toronto

JOINT REPORT No. 1

OF THE COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBOURHOOD SERVICES COMMITTEE

AND THE EMERGENCY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COMMITTEE

(from their meeting on November 5, 1998,

submitted by Councillor Chris Korwin-Kuczynski, Chair)

As Considered by

The Council of the City of Toronto

on November 25, 26 and 27, 1998

1

Squeegee Diversion Strategy for

Street-Involved Homeless Youth

(City Council on November 25, 26 and 27, 1998, amended this Clause:

(1) by amending the recommendations embodied in the joint report dated October 22, 1998, from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, as amended by the Joint Committee, as follows:

(a) by deleting from the lead-in phrase of Recommendation No. (3) the words "as soon as the Provincial Government enacts the necessary enforcement legislation", so that such recommendation now reads as follows:

"(3) Council provide $250,000.00 to develop and support an integrated service model for a subgroup of homeless street-involved youth who are not currently served by the existing service system. This service model will:

(a) provide a single point of access for homeless street-involved youth in both the east and west ends of the City, recognizing that there are currently no services available in the west end;

(b) create a new employment training program that will be specifically targeted to address the unmet and complex needs of homeless street-involved youth and divert them from squeegeeing and panhandling activity; and

(c) combine all of the existing and new program elements, including stabilization services, pre-employment training, and specialized employment training initiatives into one overall program;

and that this service model be audited and assessed for its value after twelve months by the City Auditor;";

(b) by referring Recommendation No. (7) to the Medical Officer of Health for report thereon to the Board of Health, viz:

"(7)Council request the Provincial Government to amend the Mental Health Act to ensure that mentally-ill youth living on the street can be taken into health care at the request of parents and doctors;"; and

(c) by adding to Recommendation No. (8) the words "where it is staff's view that it is in the best interest of the youth", so that such recommendation now reads as follows:

"(8) Council request the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to develop a policy which will see every effort being made to contact the parents of youth who are on the street where it is staff's view that it is in the best interest of the youth; and";

(2) to provide that funding for this program in the amount of $250,000.00 be given prior budget approval in order for this initiative to be implemented immediately; and

(3) by adding thereto the following:

"It is further recommended that:

(1) Council request the federal government and the provincial government to provide $250,000.00 each in order to develop a service delivery model for squeegee kids;

(2) Mayor Lastman be requested to approach the private sector to fund-raise the sum of $250,000.00;

(3) the Chief Administrative Officer be requested to communicate with other major municipalities with respect to their strategy for dealing with inner-city street youth, and report thereon to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee;

(4) the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer and the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services be requested to develop and administer a scheme whereby the City of Toronto will match donations from the private sector, to a maximum of $1.0 million, to implement programs in the diversion strategy; and

(5) a copy of this Clause, as amended, be forwarded to all Members of Parliament and Members of Provincial Parliament, whose ridings are located in the City of Toronto.")

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and the Emergency and Protective Services Committee recommend the adoption of the joint report dated October 22, 1998, from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, subject to:

(i) approval of the 1999 Operating Budget; and

(ii) amending the recommendations to read as follows:

"It is recommended that:

(1) Council endorse a balanced approach to responding to squeegee activities which includes both enforcement and diversion strategies for street-involved youth;

(2) Council urge the Provincial Government to come forward with enforcement legislation which will effectively deter squeegeeing;

(3) as soon as the Provincial Government enacts the necessary enforcement legislation, Council provide $250,000.00 to develop and support an integrated service model for a subgroup of homeless street-involved youth who are not currently served by the existing service system. This service model will:

(a) provide a single point of access for homeless street-involved youth in both the east and west ends of the City, recognizing that there are currently no services available in the west end;

(b) create a new employment training program that will be specifically targeted to address the unmet and complex needs of homeless street-involved youth and divert them from squeegeeing and panhandling activity; and

(c) combine all of the existing and new program elements, including stabilization services, pre-employment training, and specialized employment training initiatives into one overall program;

and that this service model be audited and assessed for its value after twelve months by the City Auditor;

(4) the implementation of the enforcement component be initiated only when the diversion strategy is in place;

(5) the funds of $250,000.00 be considered in the 1999 budget submission of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department;

(6) Council request of the Province that the City of Toronto have the flexibility under current regulations, to allow 16-17 year-old street-involved homeless youth to reapply for social assistance, in the context of the integrated service model proposed in this report;

(7) Council request the Provincial Government to amend the Mental Health Act to ensure that mentally-ill youth living on the street can be taken into health care at the request of parents and doctors;

(8) Council request the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services to develop a policy which will see every effort being made to contact the parents of youth who are on the street; and

(9) the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto."

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and the Emergency and Protective Services Committee submit the following joint report (October 22, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhood Services and the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services:

Purpose:

To recommend that the Province introduce enforcement legislation regarding squeegee activities and to propose a service model that includes viable strategies for diverting street-involved homeless youth from squeegeeing and panhandling.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funding of $250,000.00 will be required to develop and support a service model that combines youth-specific drop-in programs, pre-employment training, and specialized employment training initiatives for street-involved homeless youth. These strategies will assist these youth to meet their basic survival needs, stabilize their lives, increase employability, and provide alternative ways for them to earn an income.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1) Council endorse a balanced approach to responding to squeegee activities which includes both enforcement and diversion strategies for street-involved youth;

(2) Council urge the Provincial Government to come forward with enforcement legislation which will effectively deter squeegeeing;

(3) Council provide $250,000.00 to develop and support an integrated service model for a subgroup of homeless street-involved youth who are not currently served by the existing service system. This service model will:

(a) provide a single point of access for homeless street-involved youth in both the east and west ends of the City, recognizing that there are currently no services available in the west end;

(b) create a new employment training program that will be specifically targeted to address the unmet and complex needs of homeless street-involved youth and divert them from squeegeeing and panhandling activity; and

(c) combine all of the existing and new program elements, including stabilization services, pre-employment training, and specialized employment training initiatives into one overall program;

(4) the funds of $250,000.00 be considered in the 1999 budget submission of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department;

(5) Council request of the Province that the City of Toronto have the flexibility under current regulations, to allow 16-17 year-old street-involved homeless youth to reapply for social assistance, in the context of the integrated service model proposed in this report; and

(6) the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Council Reference/Background/History:

This past summer, Toronto experienced an influx of street-involved youth that escalated public concern over the negative impact of panhandling, squeegeeing and other street related activities.

At the City Council meeting held on July 29, 30 and 31, 1998, Council considered Clause No. 2 of Report No. 7 of The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee, headed "Diversion Strategies for Youth Involved in the Squeegee Trade," together with Clause No. 1 of Report No.8 of The Emergency and Protective Services Committee, headed "Proposed By-laws to Regulate Panhandling and Squeegee Activities."

In the report regarding by-laws, staff identified that introducing a municipal by-law would not be effective, because it was not enforceable, and ran the risk of the Municipality facing court challenges under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The Federal Minister for the GTA, David Collenette, announced publicly at that time that he would speak to his Federal colleagues about amendments to the Criminal Code, if that was required. The Premier of Ontario also indicated that the Provincial Government would be willing to act on this issue. Premier Harris directed the Chair of the Ontario Crime Control Commission, Scarborough MPP Jim Brown, to address the issue of squeegeeing. It was suggested at that time that a possible enforcement solution was banning squeegeeing under the Highways Traffic Act.

Anticipating that the Provincial Government would likely take action on enforcement in the early fall, Council referred the reports together with a series of motions to Mayor Lastman and Councillors Chow and Fotinos. Included in these motions was the request that a report be brought forward to a joint meeting of the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and Emergency and Protective Services Committee, detailing a plan to address the issues of squeegee activities, including a response from the Federal and/or Provincial Governments with respect to any legislative action on their parts; and describing specific diversion strategies that the Municipality should consider to address youth who are truly in need.

The Provincial Government has not yet announced its intentions regarding enforcement, and it is unclear when this is likely to happen. Therefore, it is not possible to comment further on enforcement strategies. However, within the existing enforcement by-laws, police are continuing to curtail inappropriate behaviours and have been successful in reducing the incidence of squeegeeing at major intersections in the downtown area. As well, with the end of the summer season, the numbers of squeegeers are declining as the more transient element of the population move back home or leave Toronto for other cities.

Research carried out over the past few months has increased our understanding of squeegee and street-involved youth issues, and informed the development of the strategy identified in this report. The report outlines a plan to divert street-involved homeless youth from squeegeeing by building on existing programs, filling service gaps, and developing a service model that combines stabilization, transitional pre-employment training, and specialized training initiatives. It reflects the research conducted by the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto, as well as the experience and information gathered by the Departments of Community and Neighbourhood Services and Urban Planning and Development for addressing youth issues.

Comments and/or Discussion and/or Justification:

This past summer, Toronto experienced an influx of street-involved youth that escalated public concern over the negative impact of panhandling, squeegeeing and other street-related activities.

Youth involved in squeegeeing are primarily just one highly visible subgroup of a population of homeless and street-involved youth. Like most urban centres, Toronto is a destination for youth who have lost social and family connections at home and come here to be with their peers, to access supports, and to seek employment or educational opportunities.

This report focuses on those street youth who call Toronto home and will remain through the coming winter.

A Profile of Street-involved Homeless Youth:

Youth become homeless because they cannot live with their families, are not prepared for employment, and face barriers to accessing needed education and training.

It is difficult to clearly identify the number of homeless or street-involved youth, as agencies have difficulty tracking the street youth population. However, there are a number of indicators provided by agencies and service providers working with youth that suggest the number of street-involved homeless youth has been steadily increasing over the past years.

A recent report to the Board of Health estimates that there are at least 5,000 youth per year in the City who do not have shelter, and use the shelter system sporadically (some of whom are transient). Native Child and Family Services works with 300 youth annually, 80 percent (240) of whom do not have adequate, permanent housing. Of those 240, 50 percent do not use shelters. Evergreen estimates that 4,000 to 5,000 youth visit their drop-in per year. Of these, 50 percent are without shelter. Street Outreach Services estimates that they work with an average of 800 young people who are involved in the sex trade, 80 percent of whom do not use shelters. Of these, 20 percent stay in unstable housing arrangements. Youthlink Inner City estimates that they work with at least 1,000 street-involved homeless youth per year.

This past September, the average hostel occupancy rate of youth 16-24 years old was 373 per day, an increase of 80 percent over 1992. This is despite the fact that agencies report that street youth move in and out of hostels very quickly, often preferring the streets, parks, squats or substandard housing (a July 1998 report to the Board of Health reported that agencies estimated that there were an equal number of street youth who will not use hostels as those who do). During the winter of 1998-1999, Hostel Services plans to fund 435 beds for youth per night.

These estimates suggest that at any given time, there are at least 400 street-involved homeless youth on the streets of Toronto.

In September, the Youth Committee of the Children and Youth Action Committee commissioned the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto (CSPC-T) to carry out a research project in order to provide insights concerning youth who squeegee, and develop short and long term solutions regarding squeegee/street youth issues.

Of the 71 young people surveyed through the CSPC-T project:

(a) 61 percent are male and 39 percent female;

(b) 10 percent are under 16 years of age, 20 percent are aged 17-18, 36 percent are aged 19-21, 26 percent are aged 22-25, and 9 percent are over 25 years old;

(c) 34 percent are without shelter, 24 percent are living in squats, 15 percent alternate between "couch surfing" in other people's rooms and sleeping outside, and 24 percent are renting a room or apartment. Only 3 percent are using shelters; and

(d) none of the respondents is living with a parent or guardian.

The majority of those surveyed stated that they squeegee in order to survive, that they squeegee sevendays a week, and assume that they will be squeegeeing over the coming winter. Squeegeeing is a method of income generation that is being used by youth who have been street-involved for some time. Youth that participated in two focus groups described squeegeeing as a relatively safe and legal means of gaining independence, and a way to feel part of a community. Out of those surveyed, 62percent are willing to work with the City to find a way to regulate squeegee activity and 85percent are willing to become involved in seeking solutions to squeegee/street youth issues.

Research and the experience of youth-serving agencies tell us that the sooner street-involved youth leave the streets, the more successful they will be in reintegrating into mainstream society. The longer youth remain street-involved, the greater their risk of long term homelessness.

Appendix A presents a more detailed profile of squeegee youth.

In summary, the information and data gathered suggests that the vast majority of people involved in squeegeeing are young people age 24 and under. Only 6 percent of those surveyed were over the age of 25, and experience and anecdotal reports by agencies suggest this is fairly representative of the age of squeegeers.

Youth who squeegee tend to be just one subgroup of street-involved homeless youth who do not have family support, do not have any permanent shelter, and often have complex personal issues they are dealing with. Street-involved youth are a highly vulnerable population, some of whom squeegee in order to meet their basic needs for food, clothing and shelter. These are the youth that the diversion strategy proposed in this report is targeted toward.

Stabilization Issues:

Street-involved homeless youth require a range of transitional supports that stabilize their lives, provide alternative ways of earning an income, and ensure that appropriate housing is available. Street-involved youth often lack experience in living on their own and holding down a job. They face discrimination based on age, appearance and life-style, have low levels of confidence and self-esteem, and perceive themselves as having failed or been let down by school, family and institutions.

Basic Needs:

A report by the Board of Health in July 1998 confirmed the high prevalence of chronic childhood experiences and serious emotional problems among street youth and estimated that 35-40 percent are affected by clinical depression. The report notes the prevalence of incest and abuse even among street youth from relatively comfortable homes. Others left home because of parental rejection of their sexual orientation. Focus groups conducted with 18 youth revealed that many had been involved with child protection agencies, and had left foster homes to live on the streets.

Street-involved homeless youth often have little faith in formal services, resist using services until circumstances become extreme, and are more likely to use youth-specific programs that earn their trust. Drop-in programs for street youth act as effective "gateways", connecting them to a range of supports that stabilize their lives, including health care, AIDS prevention, substance abuse prevention, identification and health card replacement, counselling, housing, and food services. Drop-ins also refer street youth to education and employment opportunities.

The Mayor's Homelessness Action Task Force Interim Report also identifies drop-in centres as a critical entry point to the service system for many homeless and socially-isolated people. It is identified that drop-ins deliver a wide range of survival services (e.g., food, shower and laundry services), provide a sense of community for extremely marginalized people, and are vital for building trust, establishing social connections, and teaching life skills.

Most drop-in programs are located in the Yonge Street/Carlton Street area, and include Evergreen, Native Child and Family Services, Street Outreach Services, Covenant House, and Youthlink Inner City. At this time, there are no street youth drop-in/outreach services in Toronto's downtown west.

In the fall of 1997, Youthlink Inner City began to shift its services to the Queen Street West area in response to a significant increase in the number of youth frequenting the area and using services such as the Meeting Place Adult Drop-in Centre at Queen and Bathurst.

This past summer, Youthlink Inner City initiated a pilot drop-in program at Richmond and Spadina in an effort to engage youth who were unconnected to services. The drop-in brought in 30-35 young people per day, most of whom were living in squats. The program is currently closed and searching for a permanent location in the downtown west of Toronto. The success of the Youthlink Inner City summer drop-in demonstrates the need for a street youth drop-in program in the downtown west.

Appendix B provides more details regarding programs and services for street youth.

Housing:

The provision of appropriate housing is critical to stabilizing street-involved homeless youth. However, street youth face a range of barriers to attaining housing, including inability to pay first and last month's rent due to lack of a job or ineligibility for social assistance, discrimination based on appearance or age, lack of identification, and the lack of safe, affordable housing.

The City of Toronto and Eva's Place are currently developing a new transitional housing project for homeless youth at 11 Ordnance Street. The site will accommodate 50 young people ages 18-24 years old who have made a commitment to acquiring skills to meet their responsibilities as tenants. A new youth shelter called The Satellite was operated by Eva's Place in the Sheppard Subway from December 1997 to August 1998. By managing with fewer restrictions and demands than typically required by shelters, The Satellite operated at full capacity. City staff are currently working with Eva's Place to find a permanent location for The Satellite.

Appendix C provides more details regarding housing and shelter services for street youth.

Income Support:

Income support through social assistance is difficult to obtain for youth under the age of 18. In October 1995, the Provincial Government introduced changes to the General Welfare Assistance regulations making it more difficult to establish and maintain social assistance. Specifically, these changes require 16 and 17 year-olds to be under the supervision of an adult (over the age of 18) and to be registered in school. As well, the changes mean if youth under 18 lose eligibility for assistance because they leave school for unjustified reasons, they are unable to reapply as an individual or as a head of a family until they reach 18. At the time of the regulation changes, the former Metropolitan Council expressed its concern about the implications of this last regulation for vulnerable youth.

More recently, the May 1998 regulation announcements under Ontario Works retained these requirements, and added the further requirement that an adult trustee be appointed by the delivery agent for a youth under 18 to receive assistance. This means that financial assistance can only be paid to the youth through the trustee, who can also act as the supervising adult.

Related to the level of benefit, eligibility for the shelter component requires that proof of residency and verifiable shelter costs be provided. This means that youth who are homeless are only eligible for the basic allowance of $195.00 a month.

If the social assistance system is to be used as a source of income support for homeless, street-involved 16 and 17 year-old youth, currently they must meet the mandatory regulations identified above required of all youth under 18 seeking to apply for assistance. Any youth receiving assistance who fails to obtain eligibility or leaves the system because they are no longer in school, cannot reapply before they reach the age of 18. Overall, this means that the youngest of the street-involved homeless youth, who are often disconnected from family and are most vulnerable, have very limited access to assistance.

Employment Issues:

Street-involved homeless youth cannot successfully compete for scarce jobs against more qualified young people, and face severe barriers to gaining and keeping jobs, including lack of work experience, lack of basic life skills, hard skills (customer service, inventory management, money management and trade skills), job finding skills, and skills necessary to keep jobs.

According to the survey of squeegee youth conducted by the CSPC-T in September, 88 percent of respondents have yet to complete high school. When asked about what they would need in order to return to school a majority of survey respondents identified both the need for housing and the need for a steady income. In a series of focus groups and in-depth interviews conducted by the CSPC-T as follow up to the survey, street-involved homeless youth indicated a significant lack of confidence in their ability to re-enter formal education or training programs. Some stated that they cannot afford to go to school and that the pressing need to find full-time employment is a greater priority than education.

Street youth have come to depend on squeegeeing to make a living, and may not have other viable income options. Ninety percent of youth surveyed stated that they squeegee in order to survive. Few have been able to gain real work experience in the form of full-time or part-time jobs. Squeegeeing represents one of the few alternatives to conventional unskilled jobs. According to survey respondents, squeegeeing offers them both the sense of "self-employment" and greater degree of flexibility than conventional jobs.

Homeless street youth have complex needs with respect to becoming job ready, and find it very difficult to enter the job force while their basic needs for housing and income are unmet, and they lack the supports necessary to stabilize their lives. Rushing young people into jobs they are not yet prepared to handle can undermine their self confidence and deter them from seizing future opportunities.

Although successful in providing youth with on the job training and opportunities for permanent employment, the Federal and Provincial employment training programs are unable to meet the needs of street-involved homeless youth who require stabilization support and pre-employment training.

The Mayor's Youth Employment Initiative provides enhanced pre-employment counselling and support, job placements and post placement support to participating youth. The Corporate sector supports the Initiative by providing partial wage subsidies and employment opportunities. The Mayor's initiative has as its target 250-500 at-risk youth. While this initiative strives to work with hard to place, at-risk youth, there is a growing number of street youth that require more intense stabilization support and skills development before they can make good use of the Mayor's Youth Employment Initiative.

The Metro Youth Job Corps program combines stabilization, job experience, and steady income/job placements for youth who are in transition from street-involvement to increased employability. Program components include a four week pre-placement phase, a sixteen week work placement phase, and follow-up/monitoring. Metro Youth Job Corps is the only program in the City that incorporates both stabilization supports and employment experience. This service model is a key ingredient to a successful squeegee diversion strategy.

Appendix D includes more details regarding youth employment issues and youth employment training programs.

The conclusions drawn from the review of the existing service system, and the profile of the street-involved youth and their issues are the following.

A subgroup of street youth are currently unable to successfully participate in existing youth employment training programs because their living conditions are extremely unstable. These youth:

(a) do not have family support, do not have any permanent shelter, and often have complex personal issues they are dealing with;

(b) lack basic life skills, hard skills (customer service, inventory management, money management and trade skills), job finding skills, and skills necessary to keep jobs; and

(c) squeegee in order to meet their basic needs for food, clothing and shelter.

In order to offer a viable alternative to squeegeeing, diversion strategies must be based on the recognition that many street-involved youth need the money they make on the street in order to live. Because of this, alternative employment training needs to be attractive to street youth and provide an acceptable wage for work. The existing employment training programs do not meet this need. There is a need for specialized employment training initiatives that divert youth from squeegeeing, panhandling and illegal activities, and link them to appropriate training and education opportunities.

By building trust among street youth and providing safe, positive environments, drop-in programs are successful "gateways" that connect marginalized youth to a range of supports that stabilize their lives. These services can be strengthened by the addition of a program component that will directly link street youth to employment training and income generating opportunities. This new program component can be developed by linking drop-in/outreach programs to existing employment training and business development expertise. The introduction of an employment training capacity will increase drop-in programs' ability to act pro-actively in stabilizing street youth while providing alternatives to squeegeeing and panhandling activities.

Proposed Strategy:

Existing employment training programs cannot meet the needs of a subgroup of homeless street-involved youth. Furthermore, there are currently no co-ordinated services for homeless youth that combine drop-in centres, pre-employment training, and specialized employment training.

Therefore, it is recommended that a service model that provides single access points to street youth drop-in programs, pre-employment training, and specialized employment training initiatives be developed that specifically targets those highly vulnerable street-involved youth under the age of 24. This service delivery system for street youth will meet basic survival needs, stabilize their lives, increase employability, and provide alternative ways for youth to earn money.

This service model can best be developed by establishing a partnership of agencies with the capacity to provide a range of program components that will fill a number of existing service gaps including:

(a) a lack of street youth specific drop-in and stabilization programs in the downtown west;

(b) the need for a new employment training program that will be specifically targeted to address the unmet and complex needs of homeless street-involved youth and divert them from squeegeeing and panhandling activity; and

(c) lack of co-ordination of existing stabilization and employment training programs and services.

This partnership will provide a range of integrated program components including:

(a) street youth drop-in programs that act as a gateway to other services such as counselling, information referral, health, housing, addiction services, and mental health programs;

(b) pre-employment training programs that provide life skills and employment skills to enable them to pursue further training, education and participate in existing employment programs; and

(c) specialized employment training initiatives (i.e., on the job training experiences) that can accommodate youth who are not yet stabilized.

Specialized Employment Training:

Specialized employment training initiatives will be operated by the partnership of agencies, and be based on a community business model. This model uses business opportunities as a vehicle for preparing youth for the work force, and addresses barriers to employment (e.g., homelessness, the need to continue formal education) by operating with flexible work schedules.

Youth will earn money from productive employment, and it is expected that the majority of allocated funding will be used as wage subsidies for participating youth. It is expected that, due to their circumstances, most youth will participate on a part-time basis in the community business initiatives, which are part of a comprehensive stabilization program that provides counselling, information referral, health, housing, addiction, and mental health services.

The experiences in community business initiatives will provide street youth with hard skills (e.g.,computer, customer services, money management, inventory management, production) and prepare them to access pre-employment training, employment training, education, or employment opportunities such as the Mayor's Youth Employment Initiative.

A number of potential community businesses have been discussed with squeegee youth and agencies working with street youth. Potential initiatives include a car wash, window washing business, odd-job co-op/temporary agency, commercial office cleaning, environmental cleanup (Don River, Humber etc.) poster removal, pre-landscaping preparatory work, and a street vending enterprise. City staff will also link the partnership of agencies to members of the business sector who are willing to support the development of employment training initiatives and small business ventures.

Income Support:

Social assistance is the most obvious source of stable income support for youth involved in the service model proposed in this report. As identified above, 16 and 17 year-old homeless youth have particularly limited access to social assistance because of current regulations. They require a trustee to receive assistance, and if they lose eligibility for income support, they are unable to reapply until they reach the age of 18.

With regards to the trusteeship issue, the Social Services Division will be establishing trusteeship arrangements through approved community agencies to ensure that 16 and 17 year-old street-involved homeless youth have access, where eligible, to income support.

For the 16 and 17 year-old youth who are involved in the service model and seeking income support, it is recommended that the municipality have the flexibility under current regulations to allow these youth to reapply for assistance, which they now cannot do. This would assist in providing some of these youth with a more stable source of income support crucial to maintaining the stability necessary to participate in and complete the other stabilization and employment training components of the program.

Appendix E includes details regarding the Request For Proposals process.

It is recommended that $250,000.00 in funds be allocated, and that a Request for Proposals process for allocating the funding, with decisions approved by the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee. While the initial report to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee in July recommended $500,000.00, this report identifies that, in light of the existing City commitment to youth through the Mayor's Employment Initiative and in view of the proposed service model, it is recommended that $250,000.00 be allocated to this initiative.

The Request For Proposal will call for one broad-based partnership among youth serving agencies with a central administration but with program delivery at sites in the downtown west and downtown east of Toronto.

Partnering agencies will be invited to submit proposals to establish a comprehensive program that builds on and links together existing programs and services, and develops employment training and small business initiatives for street-involved youth. It is expected that approximately 200 street youth will participate in this program in 1999.

The funding will be administered by the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department and evaluated after one year by using the following indicators:

(a) number of new employment training initiatives developed;

(b) hours of work generated through specialized employment training initiatives;

(c) number of pre-employment job placements;

(d) job retention rate;

(e) number of referrals to further training, education; and

(f) number of referrals resulting in increased stabilization.

Conclusions:

The presence of panhandlers and squeegee activities has grown in Toronto, resulting in increasing frustration on the part of some citizens. This has resulted in a call for regulation and enforcement as a response to complaints. It was anticipated that the Provincial Government would come forward with legislation to restrict squeegeeing, however, that legislation is still forthcoming. In the meantime, research conducted by the CSPC-T has provided a clearer profile of the street-involved homeless youth, some of whom look to squeegeeing for income.

This report identifies that the majority of people involved in squeegeeing are young people age 24 and under. Only 6 percent of those surveyed were over the age of 25, and experience and anecdotal reports by agencies suggest this is fairly representative of the age of squeegeers.

Youth who squeegee tend to be just one subgroup of street-involved homeless youth, who do not have family support; do not have any permanent shelter; and often have complex personal issues they are dealing with. Street-involved youth are a highly vulnerable population; some of whom squeegee in order to meet their basic needs for food, clothing and shelter. These are the youth that the diversion strategy proposed in this report is targeted toward.

It is proposed that the City provide $250,000.00 to develop a service delivery model that is particularly targeted to the unique and complex needs of street-involved youth. It is premised on the identified need to fill a number of existing service gaps including: a lack of street youth specific drop-in and stabilization programs in the downtown west; the need for a new employment training program that will be specifically targeted to address the unmet needs of homeless street-involved youth; and a lack of co-ordination of existing stabilization and employment training programs and services.

The initiatives recommended in this report will reduce street youth's reliance on squeegeeing as a source of income.

Contact Name:

Nancy Matthews

Tel: 392-8614

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Appendix A

A Profile of the Squeegee Youth and the Issues They Face

Youth involved in squeegeeing are highly visible and have been the focus of media attention and public debate. However, they make up one subgroup of a larger population of street-involved and homeless youth.

Toronto is a magnet for youth from all parts of Canada. Many street youth are escaping abusive family situations and come to Toronto to seek better opportunities for themselves It is estimated that on any day there are more than 400 homeless youth in the City. At the same time, police estimate that more than 200 are squeegee practitioners. While some of these street-involved youth may leave the City, many will remain to face the approaching winter on the streets.

A number of recent studies confirm the role family abuse plays in leading young people to trade their homes for the streets. A 1992 Addiction Research Foundation (ARF) study, for example, noted that more than 70 percent of street youth in Toronto left home to escape physical and/or sexual abuse. Likewise, a Board of Health report in July of this year confirmed the high prevalence of negative childhood experience and serious emotional problems among street youth. The report notes the prevalence of incest and abuse even among street youth from relatively comfortable homes. Others left home because of parental rejection of their sexual orientation. Focus groups conducted with 18youth revealed that many had been involved with child protection agencies, and had left foster homes to live on the streets.

Both studies found a significant level of psychological and emotional distress among street youth. In this regard, the Board of Health report estimated that 35-40 percent of street youth are affected by clinical depression, while the Addiction Research Foundation study found that 42 percent of street youth had attempted suicide at least once. These problems are further exacerbated by the poverty most street youth must face, which often leads them to exchange sex for money, food and housing. According to the City Health department, the rate of HIV infection among street youth is 73 times higher than that of the general population.

In September, the Youth Committee of the Children and Youth Action Committee commissioned the Community Social Planning Council of Toronto to carry out a research project on squeegee youth that would contribute to the development of both short and long term solutions to problems concerning this group. The study included peer conducted interviews with a representative group of squeegee youth on the street and at the places where they reside. In total, 71 individuals participated in the survey. The survey provides a number of insights into the character, attitudes and expectations of squeegee youth.

Results of the survey are as follows:

Gender:

Males61%

Females39%

Age:

Age 16 and under10%

Age 17-1820%

Age 19-21 36%

Age 22-2526%

Age 26 and over9%

Housing status:

Without shelter34%

Living in Squats 24%

Couch surfing15%

Renting room/apartment 24%

Shelters 3%

Length of time on street:

Six months or less 11%

7-11 months6%

1-2 years35%

3-4 years15%

5-6 years15%

7 or more years15%

Housing plans for this winter:

Room/apartment35%

Street/squat/park12%

Outside Toronto13%

Other9%

Don't know31%

Preferred housing :

Communal/shared 10%

Any warm/indoor 13%

Private apartment52%

Rooming house10%

Anything cheap/free6%

Other10%

Barriers to finding housing:

First/last month's rent81%

Lack of Identification41%

Welfare41%

Lack of job59%

Gender discrimination10%

Appearance discrimination54%

Age discrimination41%

Other41%

Ways to make shelters more attractive:

Youth only18%

More flexible hours68%

Allow pets63%

Nothing6%

Other23%

Level of educational attainment:

Grade 8 or less15%

Grade 813-73%

High School graduate6%

Some college/university4%

College/university graduate1%

Attending school:

Currently attending13%

Not in school87%

Would like to go back to school:

Yes66%

No33%

Maybe2%

Preferred educational program:

High School40%

Alternative school50%

College/university70%

KYTES15%

Job Corps25%

Other28%

Reason for squeegeeing:

To survive89%

Top up welfare15%

Pay the rent31%

Be own boss45%

Be with friends32%

Other11%

Length of time squeegeeing:

Less than 6 months16%

6-11 months4%

1-2 years40%

3-4 years30%

5-7 years9%

Frequency of squeegeeing:

One day per week7%

2 days per week2%

3-4 days per week7%

5-6 days per week72%

7 days per week4%

Plans to squeegee during winter:

Yes68%

No9%

Don't know23%

Appendix B

Stabilization Programs and Services

"Stabilization" refers to a range of transitional supports that enable youth to overcome the income, housing and social barriers that keep them from getting off the street. Stabilization supports are currently delivered through outreach, drop-in, clinical and residential services. These link youth to health care, AIDS prevention, substance abuse prevention, identification and health card replacement, counselling, housing, food, and employment programs and services.

The City currently supports a variety of stabilization programs for street youth. While these services are available to youth City-wide, the bulk are located in the City core where most street-involved youth are to be found. The following lists City supported programs and their current source of City funding:

Anishnawbe Health Toronto:

-AIDS Prevention Fund;

-Community Service Grant; and

-Emergency Support Fund.

Evergreen Youth Services:

-AIDS Prevention Fund.

Kensington Youth Theatre and Employment Skills (KYTES):

-Community-based Drug Abuse Prevention funding; and

-Community Service Grant.

Native Child and Family Services:

-AIDS Prevention Fund;

-Community-based Drug Abuse Prevention funding;

-Community Service Grant; and

-Emergency Support Fund.

Parkdale Community Health Centre:

-Community-based Drug Abuse Prevention funding; and

-Emergency Support Fund.

Street Outreach Services:

-Aids Prevention Fund.

Youthlink Inner City:

-Community-based Drug Abuse Prevention funding;

-Community Service Grant; and

-Emergency Support Fund.

Appendix C

Housing Initiatives for At-Risk and Homeless Youth

Access to affordable housing is critical to stabilizing street-involved youth. However, they, like others, face long waits for available social housing units. As well, street-involved youth have limited options and significant barriers to accessing housing in the private rental market. The Provincial Government housing policy changes with regard to social housing and rent control has further exacerbated the problem. The impact of this can be seen in the overall decline in vacancy which reached 0.8 percent by the end of 1997. Average rents, meanwhile, have continued to rise. In this regard, the average rent for bachelor apartments in Toronto in 1997 was $555.00, a 2.6 percent increase over the previous year.

Access to permanent housing for street-involved youth is extremely limited. This was underscored by respondents to the CSPC-T squeegee youth survey, who identified a range of barriers to attaining housing including lack of first and last month's rent, ineligibility for social assistance, discrimination based on appearance or age, and lack of appropriate identification documents.

The City is currently funding several projects to improve access to housing for street youth through its Homeless Initiative Fund as well as maintaining youth hostels and shelters. Among programs receiving support are:

The Youth Street Survivor project: Administered by Youthlink Inner City, the project provides intensive housing help to youth who live on the streets and/or are "service shy".

The Pape Adolescent Resource Centre, "One Stop Housing and Financial," project provides peer mentoring to street youths, assists them in finding housing and managing money, and educates them on the rights and responsibilities of tenants.

The City of Toronto and Eva's Place are currently developing a new transitional housing project for homeless youth at 11 Ordnance Street. The site will accommodate 50 young people ages 18-24 years old who have made a commitment to acquiring skills to meet their responsibilities as tenants.

There are eight youth shelters located across the City. A new shelter, called The Satellite, was operated by Eva's Place in the Sheppard Subway from December 1997 to August 1998. The Satellite had space for 40 youths and was targeted to those who had been reluctant to use other shelters. The Satellite experienced high demand for its service and is currently searching for a permanent location.

Appendix D

Employment Issues

Throughout the 1990s, Toronto youth have experienced rates of unemployment nearly double that of the labour force as a whole. Despite improvement in the economy over the last few years, high unemployment persists for workers aged 15-24. This group comprises 12 percent of the City's labour force and nearly 25 percent of total unemployment. In the third quarter of 1998, the unemployment rate for 15-24 year-olds was 16.2 percent as compared to 6.4 percent for those age 25 and over. For youths without higher education the situation is even worse, with unemployment rates averaging 25percent.

According to the survey of squeegee youth conducted by the CSPC-T in September, 88 percent of respondents have yet to complete high school. These youth cannot successfully compete for scarce jobs against more qualified people. They and other street-involved youth face significant employment barriers including lack of work experience, basic life skills, hard skills, job finding skills, and job maintaining skills.

When asked about what they would need in order to return to school a majority of survey respondents identified both the need for housing and the need for a steady income. In a series of focus groups and in-depth interviews conducted by the CSPC-T as follow up to the survey, street-involved youth indicated a significant lack of confidence in their ability to re-enter formal education or training programs. Some stated that they cannot afford to go to school and that the pressing need to find full-time employment is a greater priority than education.

Street youth have come to depend on squeegeeing to make a living, and may not have other viable income options. Ninety percent of youth surveyed stated that they squeegee in order to survive. Few have had been able to gain real work experience in the form of full-time or part-time jobs. Squeegeeing represents one of the few alternatives to conventional unskilled jobs. According to survey respondents, squeegeeing offers them both the sense of "self-employment" and a greater degree of flexibility than conventional jobs.

As noted previously, street-involved youth have complex needs with respect to becoming job ready. Realistically speaking, they cannot be expected to enter the work force until their lives are stabilized and their basic need for housing and income are met. Rushing young people into jobs they are not yet prepared to handle can further undermine their self-confidence and discourage them from seizing future opportunities.

There is a need to offer these youth suitable employment alternatives that divert them from squeegeing, panhandling and illegal activities, and link them to appropriate training and education opportunities. To be viable, however, diversion strategies must offer attractive alternatives that provide adequate wages as well as some sense of future opportunity.

The following section overviews existing employment programs available to City youth.

(a) Federal Programs:

Although existing employment training programs meet the needs of at-risk youth (i.e., youth who are at risk of long term unemployment), there are very few programs that target youth who are homeless and not yet stabilized.

Human Resources Development Canada sponsors 26 Youth Service Canada projects in Toronto that target at-risk youth and provide career planning and ongoing support for youth beyond the project end date.

The Youth Internship Program includes 33 projects that provide jobs to youth in growth areas, and focuses on serving at-risk youth who are early school leavers or secondary school graduates not planning to enter post secondary school. Employers pay wages during work placements and are expected to hire successful graduates upon completion.

Three Youth Entrepreneurship projects provide small business training to at-risk youth as well as equity target groups who are not traditionally served by mainstream self-employment programs.

(b) Provincial Programs:

The Province's Job Connect Program includes three components:

Information and Referral Services (IRS) assists clients in self-directed job search, and conducts public access workshops.

Employment Planning and Preparation (EPP) is targeted for those who need more structured job search support to find and keep employment.

On-the-Job Training (OJT) is available to those who need the additional support of a subsidized training placement. Clients must be under 24 years of age, and out of school, work and training for a minimum of 16 of the last 32 weeks. Individuals over 24 must be in receipt of social assistance benefits.

Although successful in providing youth with on the job training and opportunities for permanent employment, the Federal and Provincial employment training programs are unable to meet the needs of a core group of street-involved youth who require stabilization support and pre-employment training.

(c) City of Toronto Employment Programs:

Current City of Toronto employment programs include the Mayor's Youth Employment Initiative, the Metro Youth Employment Outreach Program, and the Metro Youth Job Corps Program.

Mayor's Youth Employment Initiative:

The Mayor's Youth Employment Initiative is funded through a partnership among the City, Federal and Provincial levels of government. The majority of funds are applied to wage subsidies. The Initiative was launched in July 1998 and is delivered by North York YMCA, Alternative Youth Centre for Employment, College de grands Lacs and Goodwill Industries. These agencies provide enhanced pre-employment counselling and support, job placements and post placement support to participating youth. The Corporate sector supports the Initiative by providing partial wage subsidies and employment opportunities. The Initiative has as its target 250-500 at-risk youth.

While this initiative strives to work with hard to place, at-risk youth, street-involved homeless youth require more intense stabilization support and skills development before they can make good use of this opportunity.

Pre-employment Training:

The Metro Youth Job Corps (MYJC) program combines stabilization, job experience, and steady income/job placements for youth who are in transition from street-involvement to increased employability. The program has been in operation since 1983, is funded by the City of Toronto, Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC), and the Ministry of Education and Training (MET), and serves 180 youth per year. Participants who successfully complete MYJC are more prepared to take advantage of the Mayor's Youth Employment Initiative and the training programs offered by the HRDC and MET.

Program components include a four-week pre-placement phase, a sixteen-week work placement phase, and follow-up/monitoring. The pre-placement builds life skills and generic work skills while the work placement phase provides a supported work experience in a real workplace setting. Although it is intended that employers will hire participants at the end of the placement, not all youth completing the program are able to remain in the placement workplace or find work immediately. In addition, those youth who cannot be accommodated in the program or are not stabilized enough to participate need alternative work opportunities.

Metro Youth Job Corps is the only program that incorporates both stabilization supports and employment experience. This service model is a key ingredient to a successful squeegee diversion strategy.

Appendix E

Request for Proposal Process

This report calls for an integrated service model for homeless street-involved youth, that provides a single point of access for homeless street-involved youth in both the east and west ends of the City, recognizing that there are currently no services available in the west end; creates a new employment training program that will be specifically targeted to address the unmet and complex needs of homeless street-involved youth and divert them from squeegeeing and panhandling activity; and that combines all of the existing and new program elements, including stabilization services, pre-employment training, and specialized employment training initiatives into one overall program. Such an approach for street-involved youth will help them meet basic survival needs, stabilize their lives, increase their employability, and provide alternative ways for them to earn money.

Partnering agencies will be invited to submit proposals to establish a comprehensive program that builds on existing services and facilitates employment training and business initiatives for street-involved youth. It is expected that approximately 200 youth will participate in this program in 1999. Funding will be administered by the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department and City staff will evaluate the project after one year.

A Request For Proposals (RFP) will be used to identify a partnership of agencies to provide central administration and service delivery at sites in the downtown west and downtown east of the City. Partnering agencies will be invited to submit proposals for a comprehensive program that does not duplicate work currently being done and builds on existing programs and services.

Request for Proposals Process:

Submitted proposals will be assessed using the following criteria:

(a) Partnership Criteria:

Partner agencies will demonstrate the following:

(1) the capacity to develop responses to gaps in stabilization and employment training programs for street youth, and to co-ordinate services;

(2) the depth of agency's experience working with street youth, and its ability to provide youth-centred, appropriate environments to act as "gateways" from street life to stabilization and increased employability;

(3) the capacity to provide a range of stabilization services, including access to shelter and housing programs designed to accommodate street-involved, marginalized youth, health care, psychological and emotional support, appropriate social and recreational opportunities, peer learning opportunities, information on youth-based initiatives, and financial information and advice; and

(4) the capacity to develop and manage alternative employment training initiatives which include flexible opportunities for youth to earn income as required, and a full range of pre-employment, employment readiness, and job find programs.

(b) Program Criteria:

Program descriptions will include the following:

(1) strategies for linking stabilization, pre-employment, and alternative employment training initiatives;

(2) strategies for integrating a range of stabilization services, including access to housing and shelter, health care, psychological and emotional support, appropriate social and recreational opportunities, peer learning opportunities, information on youth-based initiatives, and financial information and advice;

(3) strategies for developing alternative employment training initiatives, and exposing youth to income generating opportunities (e.g., self-employment, community economic development, small business creation);

(4) strategies for early involvement of businesses, successful young entrepreneurs, and employers in program design and implementation, and methods for accessing business development finances and securing job placements in business settings;

(5) a plan for establishing single access points in the east and west end of downtown Toronto; and

(6) a program evaluation component to measure project effectiveness, including interim and final reports.

The program will be evaluated after one year by City staff using the following indicators:

(1) the number of new employment training initiatives developed;

(2) the hours of work generated through specialized employment training initiatives;

(3) the number of pre-employment job placements;

(4) the job retention rate;

(5) the number of referrals to further training, education; and

(6) the number of referrals resulting in increased stabilization.

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The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and the Emergency and Protective Services Committee report, for the information of Council, also having had before them during consideration of the foregoing matter the following communications:

- (October 28, 1998) from Mr. James Ridge, Director, Ontario Crime Control Commission, advising that he believes that the Commission's proposals related to squeegee activity are still being considered by the Premier and Cabinet; and

- (November 3, 1998) from Ms. Anne Dubas, President, Canadian Union of Public Employees, Local 79, requesting that reconsideration be given to the matter of issuance of a Request for Proposal; suggesting that the $250,000.00 be used to stabilize and expand existing programs; and noting that the Metro Youth Outreach Program is a successful and established City-run and operated project and should be given extra funding to enhance its role in referring disadvantaged and homeless youth.

The following persons appeared before the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and the Emergency and Protective Services Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

- Mr. Peter Clutterbuck, Co-Director, Community Social Planning Council of Toronto; and submitted a document, entitled "Surviving the Streets - Street Youth and Squeegeeing in Toronto," dated November, 1998;

- Mr. Tony Boston, Street Youth Community Project; and introduced a videotape on Street Involved Youth;

- Mr. Steve Gaetz, SHOUT Clinic;

- Ms. Michele Heath, The Meeting Place;

-Councillor Joe Mihevc, York - Eglinton;

and an additional deputation appeared before the Committees in camera, in accordance with Section10(1)(ii) of the Council Procedural By-law.

(City Council on November 25, 26 and 27, 1998, had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, the following communication (November 24, 1998) from the City Clerk:

Recommendation:

The Children and Youth Action Committee on November 23, 1998, recommended that Council support the immediate implementation of the diversion strategy.

The Committee reports also having:

(1) expressed its concern to Council regarding the Community and Neighbourhood Services and Emergency and Protective Services Committees' recommendation to link implementation of the proposed support strategy with the implementation of enforcement measures; and

(2) advised that draconian enforcement of a by-law is not a useful solution to the existence of street youth/squeegee kids.

Background:

The Children and Youth Action Committee on November 23, 1998 gave consideration to a verbal report by Ms. Nancy Matthews, Community and Neighbourhood Services Department, on the Youth Cabinet/Youth Sub-Committee.

The Committee's recommendations are noted above.)

(City Council also had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, the following communication (November 24, 1998) from the City Clerk:

Recommendation:

The Task Force on Community Safety at its meeting on November 23, 1998, recommended that Council support the immediate implementation of the support strategy.

The Task Force reports having expressed its concern regarding the Community and Neighbourhood Services/Emergency & Protective Services Committees' recommendation to link implementation of the proposed support strategy with the implementation of enforcement measures.

Background:

The Task Force on Community Safety on November 23, 1998, gave consideration to a report (October 22, 1998) from the Commissioner of Community and Neighbourhod Services and Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, titled "Squeegee Diversion Strategy for Street-Involved Homeless Youth", addressed to the Community and Neighborhood Services Committee and Emergency and Protective Services Committee.)

(City Council also had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, a copy of a statement, headed "Religious Communities Urge Toronto Council to Adopt Non-Punitive Approaches to Supporting Squeegee Youth", submitted by Councillor Mihevc, signed by: President, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Toronto; Executive Assistant to the Anglican Bishop of Toronto; Chair, The Toronto Conference of the United Church of Canada; Presbyterian Minister and Chaplain, University of Toronto; Resident Minister of the Toronto Buddhist Church; Executive Director, Citizens for Public Justice; Al-Huda Lebanese Muslin Society; and Executive Director, Jewish Family and Child Services.)

(City Council also had before it, during consideration of the foregoing Clause, the following:

(i) communication (November 20, 1998) addressed to Councillor Mihevc, from the Executive Director, All Aboard Youth Ventures Inc., advising that linking a punitive approach to a social services approach is counterproductive; and

(ii) statistical information with respect to the homeless, youth, and rental unit vacancies and rates, submitted by Councillor Sinclair.)

2

Other Item Considered by the Committees

(City Council on November 25, 26 and 27, received this Clause, for information.)

(a) "No Fixed Address: Young Parents on the Street."

The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and the Emergency and Protective Services Committee reports having received the following communication:

(August 13, 1998) from the City Clerk advising that City Council on July 29, 30 and 31, 1998, adopted Clause No. 1 of Report No. 10 of The Board of Health, headed "No Fixed Address: Young Parents on the Street," wherein the Board recommended that the report dated July 10, 1998, from the Medical Officer of Health be referred to the Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee for information.

Respectfully submitted,

CHRIS KORWIN-KUCZYNSKI,

Chair

Toronto, November 5, 1998

(Joint Report No. 1 of The Community and Neighbourhood Services Committee and The Emergency and Protective Services Committee, including additions thereto, was adopted, as amended, by City Council on November 25, 26 and 27, 1998.)