. 2018 Mar 16;109(1):89–98. doi: 10.17269/s41997-018-0029-6

Table 2.

Recommendations for practice, policy, and research

Sector	Recommendations
Practice	1. Shift transition-related supports (e.g., counseling, food programs, and health care services) from shelters to less stigmatizing locations such as community centers. This will also help foster community and social integration. 2. Develop programs that facilitate social capital (e.g., mentorship programs). 3. Re-define success — set the bar higher than “no longer homeless”; aim to prevent homelessness from reoccurring and break the cycle of poverty. 4. Be transparent with youth about the likelihood of escaping poverty with limited education and inadequate job skills (and develop a plan to directly address this).
Policy	1. Provide more affordable and better quality housing. 2. Ensure all Canadian youth living independently are able to meet or exceed the LICO of $20,160 (consider basic income). 3. Provide free tuition plus associated costs (e.g., rent and books) for post-secondary education without welfare claw backs (Note: In Ontario, tuition is heavily subsidized for families with an annual income of < $50 K; however, this subsidy is counted as “income” for those on the OW program) (Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, 2017)
Research	1. Define and measure social integration holistically — include community and economic participation. 2. Implement more longitudinal studies on how to best assist youth in their transition out of homelessness — depicts “real world” challenges and highlights gaps in social supports and public policy. 3. Conduct more qualitative studies on this topic so youth-informed perspectives can help guide public policy.

Sector

Recommendations

Practice

1. Shift transition-related supports (e.g., counseling, food programs, and health care services) from shelters to less stigmatizing locations such as community centers. This will also help foster community and social integration.

2. Develop programs that facilitate social capital (e.g., mentorship programs).

3. Re-define success — set the bar higher than “no longer homeless”; aim to prevent homelessness from reoccurring and break the cycle of poverty.

4. Be transparent with youth about the likelihood of escaping poverty with limited education and inadequate job skills (and develop a plan to directly address this).

Policy

1. Provide more affordable and better quality housing.

2. Ensure all Canadian youth living independently are able to meet or exceed the LICO of $20,160 (consider basic income).

3. Provide free tuition plus associated costs (e.g., rent and books) for post-secondary education without welfare claw backs (Note: In Ontario, tuition is heavily subsidized for families with an annual income of < $50 K; however, this subsidy is counted as “income” for those on the OW program) (Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development, 2017)

Research

1. Define and measure social integration holistically — include community and economic participation.

2. Implement more longitudinal studies on how to best assist youth in their transition out of homelessness — depicts “real world” challenges and highlights gaps in social supports and public policy.

3. Conduct more qualitative studies on this topic so youth-informed perspectives can help guide public policy.