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Shine a light on homelessness
A late-night walk through Langley drew attention to the problems of homeless teenagers.
takes time, Roberts said. One of the first things ANS does with teens on youth agreements is take them shopping, showing them how to budget and get good The idea was to drive nutrition. home the reality of what Homeless youth can show a mixture of teens living on the street extreme independence and naivete about living might face. On Friday night, the may- on their own. They always know the cheapest places to get fast food, Roberts noted. But he’s ors of both Langleys, a few seen situations where newly independent teens councillors, social service and threw away pots or pans because they couldn’t non-profit workers, and some figure out how to get them clean after cooking interested community members went for a walk through downtown. once. To ease that transition, Roberts said the City The 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. walk needs a facility for temporarily housing youths was organized by Aldergrove – not just for a night, as was arranged for this Neighbourhood Services (ANS), year’s emergency shelter program for cold which has taken on the task of workweather. ing with teens who need shelter. After walking from Langley Township Civic Loren Roberts has recently spoken to Facility to Langley City Hall in the heart of local councillors and mayors about the downtown, politicians and other participants issues, which often come down to gaps in took part in a scavanger hunt for things a the system. homeless teen might need. Homeless youths do sometimes live Among the items were: on the streets, but more often a washroom that would they are in unstable situations – couch-surfing with friends, “There is an issue here accept a teenager after midnight, the lone remaining living briefly with relatives, or and we can’t ignore it.” payphone near City Hall, living with people who may Jack Froese and a count of the cheque exploit them. cashing stores. It takes time to set up a Even if they do get a permanent housing situation stipend from the province, much of the $758 for a 16-19 year old who can’t live at a month can be eaten up by cheque cashing home anymore, Roberts said. fees, said Roberts. Many teens don’t have bank Teens in that age range don’t fall accounts. under the umbrella of Children and The Township’s Mayor Jack Froese noted Family Development, but they aren’t that youth homelessness isn’t part of Langley’s well served by shelters and permanent image – he saw young people on the streets programs designed for adults. during his years working as a Vancouver police One solution is to set them up on their own with a “youth agreement,” in which officer, but people don’t realize it’s an issue in the suburbs or rural areas as well. they are given a monthly provincial sti“We have to continue to lobby and work pend and can live mostly independently, with the provincial government to ensure these said Roberts. gaps are closed,” said Froese. Getting an agreement set up, and findAwareness is a big thing, he said. ing a landlord willing to rent to a teen“There is an issue here and we can’t ignore it.” ager, for a very limited amount of money,
by Matthew Claxton mclaxton@langleyadvance.com
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Community members and politicians braved the rain for a late night walk to educate on youth homelessness. (Upper left) Local advocate Loren Roberts organized the night walk.
Matthew Claxton/Langley Advance