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Aboriginal Youth Safehouse

UNYA’s Aboriginal Youth Safehouse (ASH) is a voluntary, short-term, live-in program for youth ages 16 to 18 who do not have a safe place to stay.

ASH is a supportive, non-judgmental place where you can focus on your own goals and work towards making positive change. We work together to create a safe and healthy environment for everyone in the house.

At ASH, we work to build community around you, to offer you more stability and access to support. Our youth workers will connect you to resources, help you with goal planning, and help you move on to safe, stable, long-term housing, with new connections to community resources for ongoing stability and support.

ASH is always a source of support for youth who have stayed with us, and we hope that you'll stay connected with us beyond your stay.

Program Activities

  • 5 single rooms, 1 double room
  • Nutritious meals and snacks
  • Help finding housing, work, training, school programs, and more
  • Visits from UNYA’s counsellors and nurse practitioner
  • Support from UNYA’s Transition team
  • Meetings with your care team can be hosted at the house, so that counsellors from the safehouse can be there to support and advocate for you
  • Access to clothing and personal care items
  • Computer, telephone, TV, internet, PS4
  • Bus tickets so that you can travel safely
  • Connection to Indigenous culture through sharing teachings, arts and crafts
  • Visits from Elders
  • Opportunities to learn about and participate in ceremony and smudging
  • Support with life skills, such as laundry, grocery shopping, making meals and keeping the house clean together
  • Help reconnecting with your home community and family, if this is one of your goals

How To Get Involved

UNYA’s Aboriginal Youth Safehouse is open to youth ages 16 to 18 of all backgrounds who do not have a safe place to stay. We accept referrals from youth or from service providers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get in touch with us below.