Services for Homeless Youth during COVID-19: The Case of a Canadian Community

Abstract

This exploratory study aimed to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected a medium-sized community’s frontline workers in the Canadian youth homelessness services sector. This study phenomenological case study elicited practitioner knowledge and experience in servicing homeless youth in a medium-sized community – Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. Two in-depth focus groups were conducted with a convenience sample of participants (N = 9). Thematic analysis revealed five overarching themes: a) Community Connection, b) COVID-19 Challenges and Services, c) Provider Well-being, d) Successes, and e) Youth Services and Housing. The results illustrate the early impact of COVID-19 on service providers and provision for youth experiencing homelessness, and the adaptations needed to provide them with services during this time. Replication of this research into other regions and social services is recommended. Future research that provides a retrospective account would offer a valuable point of comparison of providing social services to homeless youth during and after COVID-19 public restrictions.

Keywords:

• Youth homelessness
• covid-19
• homelessness
• community research
• focus groups
• service provision

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Making the Shift.