Youth forum sheds light on homelessness and poverty
WINNIPEG, MB—Financial malaise and a recession may have scored huge losses among investors the world over, but Sherri Steiner says people facing domestic poverty and homelessness have been hit the hardest.
"Homelessness is a real problem in this city. There are a lot of 'invisible' homeless children and families that couch surf," says the associate professor of Sociology at Booth University College.
"There are a lot of fragile people who are just one trauma or job loss away from being homeless. Coupled with the recession and a housing crisis, there's an increased vulnerability toward that."
It's one of the reasons why Steiner is spearheading "Homelessness In The City: Through the Eyes of Justice and Hope," the first annual Booth University College Youth Forum aimed at civic-minded high school youth.
In association with two emergency shelters in the city, the Salvation Army Booth Centre and Siloam Mission, the two-day event on November 14 and 15 will give high school students a chance to walk the streets of Winnipeg's inner city and connect with community organizations.
"There are a lot of stereotypes about people experiencing homelessness. We want to break them," says Steiner.
"When it comes to civic-mindedness, youth often talk about poverty in the city. I think there are a lot of people with heart out there, and we're trying to create the occasion for people to come together and do something about it."
Floyd Perras, executive director of Siloam Mission, will be the main speaker at the event.
He hopes the forum will not only educate young people about the issues surrounding poverty, but also create advocates for Winnipeg's less fortunate.
"This is the time of their lives when they are forming their values for who they want to be in the future. It's so important for them to understand all aspects of society, including homelessness," he says.
"Thousands of Winnipeggers experience homelessness every year. We would love to see youth bring passion, energy, ideas and resources to the table to meet that need. I hope that we could all examine how to make a difference in our world to make it more fulfilling for everyone."
Participants will take part in a brainstorming session about how they can bring about meaningful change in their communities.
The forum will also act as a Booth University College campus visit for prospective students or young people trying to find their place in a post-high school environment.
Steiner says she hopes to see young people go on to higher education institutions where they are engaged in community issues.
"We want to see them think in terms of staying involved. We want to see a leadership network come out of this," she says.
High school youth can sign up for the free event no later than November 9. A community forum on the same topic will be held in April.
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