Prioritizing Prevention: Examining Shelter Diversion as an Early Intervention Approach to Respond to Youth Homelessness

Abstract

There is a growing movement in Canada towards youth homelessness prevention. One such response, called shelter diversion aims to move young people into safe and supportive housing as quickly as possible. The objective of this project is to assess how, and in what ways, shelter diversion operates and whether this intervention permanently or temporarily diverts youth from homelessness. Our project is grounded in principles of community-based participatory research including community/university partnerships and an advisory committee of lived-experience experts. Our team is utilizing mixed methods to capture the outcomes of diversion programs. Data collection began in September 2022 and ended in May 2024. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis is underway. Preliminary results show differences in how diversion is defined and implemented across organizations. There are also differences in staffing models and program budgets. The findings from this study will contribute to a recommendation for a national definition and adaptable program model for shelter diversion, easily accessible to support the expansion of diversion programs into youth-serving organizations across Canada. This study is the first in Canada to examine the effectiveness of shelter diversion as an early intervention strategy to prevent youth homelessness on a national scale.