Outcomes for Youth Living in Canada's First LGBTQ2S Transitional Housing Program

Abstract

This article offers descriptive and evaluative data for the first cohort of youth who lived in Canada's first transitional housing program for LGBTQ2S youth, operated by the YMCA of Greater Toronto. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to report on how youth experienced living in an LGBTQ2S population-based housing program in relation to mental health, self-esteem, community participation and family connectedness, and how access to culturally competent services impact experiences of homelessness. The outcomes of this study are important for service providers, program managers, and policymakers to review in order to better understand how LGBTQ2S youth experience population-based housing programs and whether or not they positively impact their transition to adulthood. Although this study took place in Toronto, Canada, it has broader relevance nationally and internationally, and can be used to build the evidence base to guide the improvement, development, and evaluation of future LGBTQ2S housing services for youth.

Keywords: Homelessness; LGBTQ2S; gender identity; mental health; population-based housing; program evaluation; sexual orientation; transitional housing; urban context; youth.