2 homeless youth housed in Yellowknife, thanks to housing first program

Tiffany Thrasher pours herself a cup of coffee and walks onto her balcony in Yellowknife, looking across the city.

Thrasher, 22, spent four years living on those streets. She left home at 16, becoming an alcoholic and drug addict while looking for somewhere — anywhere — to sleep each night.

"I didn't want to feel anything, so I left my parent's place," Thrasher said. "At 16 you know everything, right?"

Now she's in her own home — one of the first residents of SideDoor youth centre's 'HOME4UTH' housing first program, designed specifically for young people in Yellowknife. So far, SideDoor has placed Thrasher and one other person in their own apartments.

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Thrasher says she's been getting help for her addictions for the past two years, but a new home is something else. She has her own bed, a stove and a fridge.

"I can cook however I want, I can eat however I want, there's leftovers. I can sit at my own table and I get to relax and it's just lovely," Thrasher said.

"It keeps you stable, it helps you start your sobriety."

The tenants have to maintain their units and follow building rules, like no smoking. Volunteers with SideDoor check in regularly with them. The tenants pay their own rent directly to SideDoor. 

Layers of support

SideDoor has several layers of support in place for the new residents, explained Iris Hamlyn, its executive director.

"Housing is one part of it, but the wraparound supports are the keys to success," Hamlyn said.    

SideDoor recently launched an employment program to help youth join the workforce. They also run Matrix, an outpatient addictions program, and a cooking program.

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"All the programs we're piling on will help them be successful," Hamlyn said.

For Thrasher, this home is vital to her recovery.

"When you have your own place, you become a bit more stable and you become a bit more confident," Thrasher said.

"You know you have a safe place to go at the end of the day so you can work hard, you can put yourself out there and really go for it."    

SideDoor received $50,000 to run the program through the federal government's anti-poverty fund. It plans to raise more money and gain additional funding to keep the program going.

SideDoor hopes to house 10 youth in total over the next nine months.