Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is the largest national research institute devoted to homelessness in Canada. The COH is the curator of the Homeless Hub.
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The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness is the largest national research institute devoted to homelessness in Canada. The COH is the curator of the Homeless Hub.
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Author(s): Amanda Noble, Benjamin Owens, Naomi Thulien, Amanda Suleiman
Publication Date: 2022
Research has shown that youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) face barriers to social inclusion and are at risk for poor mental health. With the COVID-19 pandemic threatening the health, well-being, and economic circumstances of people around the world, this study aims to assess the impacts of the pandemic on YEH in Toronto, Ontario, as well as to identify recommendations for future waves of COVID-19.

Author(s): Amanda Noble, Naomi Thulien, Benjamin Owens
Organization: Making the Shift Youth Homelessness Social Innovation Lab, Covenant House Toronto
Publication Date: 2022
This research sought to understand how living in Toronto’s emergency shelter system during the pandemic has impacted youth experiencing homelessness, as well as investigate how the sector and municipality could reimagine its response to youth homelessness and begin to shift its response toward longer-term solutions.
There were four objectives of this research:
To understand the impact of the pandemic on youth experiencing homelessness in Toront...

Author(s): Naomi Thulien, Amanda Noble, Alex Akdikmen, Danielle Ali, Isaac Coplan, Mardi Daley, David French, Stephen W. Hwang, Sean Kidd, Julia Roglich
Organization: Lived Experience Lab, A Way Home Canada, Covenant House
Publisher: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press
Publication Date: 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting societal inequities in an unprecedented manner. Young people who are experiencing or have experienced homelessness are disproportionately impacted by the negative socioeconomic consequences of the pandemic. The pandemic has also made visible the precarious existence in which these young people live.
The aim of this knowledge synthesis was to deliver real-world evidence on promising mental health and substance...
Author(s): Nadine Reid, Amie Kron, Thanara Rajakulendran, Deborah Kahan, Amanda Noble, Vicky Stergiopoulos
Publication Date: 2020
Little is known regarding the types of interventions most effective in supporting wellness and recovery of victims of gender-based violence, particularly those simultaneously experiencing homelessness. This qualitative study explored the experiences of 18 young women experiencing gender-based violence and homelessness who participated in a community-based, trauma-informed group intervention in Toronto, Canada. Participants completed audio-recorde...

Author(s): Naomi Thulien, Amanda Noble, Mardi Daley, David French, Stephen Hwang, Sean Kidd
Organization: Lived Experience Lab, A Way Home Canada, Covenant House
Publication Date: 2020
Goal: The overall goal of this project is to rapidly synthesize real-world knowledge on promising mental health and substance use practices utilized by front-line providers serving young people who are experiencing or have experienced homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Background: An estimated 35,000-40,000 Canadian youth (aged 13 – 24 years) experience homelessness at some point during the year and at least 6,000 on any given night (Gaet...
Author(s): Amanda Noble, Isaac Coplan, Jaime Neal, Amanda Suleiman, Susan McIntyre
Organization: Convenant House
Publication Date: 2020
Exiting sex trafficking can be a long and arduous process, with survivors having many needs that must be addressed before, during and after exiting. Often this process takes many attempts.
To date, very little work has been done to document the process survivors must undergo in order to successfully escape from sex trafficking or to document their specific needs while attempting to do so.
The following pages detail the findings of a national rese...
Author(s): Amanda Noble, Carol Howes
Publisher: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
Publication Date: 2018
It is well established that youth experiencing homelessness face many challenges with their mental health. For example, a literature review of the topic found that 30%–40% of youth who are homeless experience major depression, bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance use (Kidd, 2013). A small number also experience psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia, although this incidence is believed to be larger than that found...
Author(s): Amanda Noble
Publication Date: 2012
As more industrialized countries struggle with rising youth unemployment, young people with no job or prospects are ill-equipped to be contributing members of an inclusive, healthy and sustainable economy. The business sector can play a critical role in addressing youth homelessness by providing at-risk youth with skills training, employment and apprenticeship opportunities. Yet only a small number of Canada’s employers offer these opportunities....

Author(s): Amanda Noble
Organization: Raising the Roof
Publication Date: 2015
This report, part of Raising the Roof’s national Child and Family Homelessness Initiative, speaks to Housing First as a means of early intervention for families experiencing homelessness. However, while Housing First has been identified as a successful and effective approach in assisting those currently experiencing homelessness, this report aims to hold a parallel discussion of what it would mean to genuinely prevent homelessness from occurring,...

Author(s): Amanda Noble, Jesse Donaldson, Stephen Gaetz, Sabina Mirza, Isaac Coplan, David Fleischer
Organization: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness; United Way York Region; Knowledge Mobilization Unit at York University
Publication Date: 2014
In York Region, there is a growing awareness of the problem of youth homelessness. In the past many people saw it as a ‘big city’ problem, more likely to occur in places like downtown Toronto or Vancouver. But we now know from research that the factors that drive youth to become homeless are not isolated in big cities, but are also present in urban, suburban and rural areas. This is most certainly true of York Region. The question then becomes, w...
Author(s): Amanda Noble
Organization: Raising the Roof
Publication Date: 2014
This report highlights many innovative and high quality initiatives across Canada and internationally that are working to improve the lives of families and children so that they may live free from poverty and homelessness. However, the report also illustrates that, for the most part, these initiatives operate in an independent and piecemeal fashion, just like the blocks in the broken Jenga tower. In addition, the majority of these initiatives ope...
Author(s): Amanda Noble, Lola Oseni
Publisher: Canadian Observatory On Homelessness
Publication Date: 2013
Solutions to homelessness are often considered the responsibility of NGOs, governments, and individuals experiencing homelessness. We at Raising the Roof feel that solutions to homelessness require action across society, including in the private sector. In short, we believe that homelessness is everybody’s business. In this chapter we review some of the major findings from Raising the Roof’s Private Sector Engagement Project, which has two main i...