Communities across Canada have effectively used PiT Count data to measure progress towards ending homelessness, as a tool for system planning and a mechanism to rehouse individuals experiencing homelessness. A count should been seen as more than a data collection exercise. The process holds communities accountable for their efforts to end homelessness. It provides funders, system planners and service providers with the information they need to make adjustments and continuously improve community-wide responses to homelessness. 

Consider using the date to shed light of some pointed questions like:

• What is the relationship between the number of homeless enumerated and the core housing need rate in my community?
• What does the occupancy rate of emergency shelters on the night of the count tell me about the homeless population's needs?
• What explains some of the differences in characteristics between the homeless enumerated in emergency shelters and those sleeping rough?
• Why are certain sub-groups overrepresented in the Count?
• What would it take to rehouse every person we enumerated?
• How can we leverage the attention the Count brought to the issue?
• Why are there rough sleepers when there are shelter spaces available?
• How do macro-economic trends impacting my community play out with respect to homelessness? 

– Excerpt from the COH PiT Count Toolkit

A Focus on Youth

Across Canada, we are experiencing an increased commitment to ending youth homelessness. With this commitment comes a growing recognition that putting an end to youth homelessness requires a deliberate and coordinated effort. Youth Count data provides a basis for this effort and a mechanism to measure progress.

Helpful Resource For more information on Community Plans to End Youth Homelessness, visit A Way Home.

Plans to End Youth Homelessness

If your community is without a plan to end youth homelessness, a Youth Count is a good platform to build community interest and action around the issue. Youth plans should be informed, in part, by Youth Count data. More often than not, Youth Count stakeholders will be more than willing to participate in the development of a community-wide plan.

Communities with existing plans to end youth homelessness should use Youth Count data to measure progress against key objectives. Consider whether your youth plan addresses the issues identified through the Youth Count. For example, if your count reveals an overrepresentation of youth that identify as LGBTQ2S, your plan should include specific strategies to address this overrepresentation. Be prepared to reprioritize as you conduct successive counts. 

Youth Counts can also bolster efforts to implement provincial/territorial plans to end youth homelessness. The COH strongly recommends that communities coordinate with one another, to both plan Youth Counts and to mobilize the results. 

Hint! Service use is not always connected to availability. For example: If a notable proportion of youth indicate they have not used emergency shelter services, carefully consider the reasons. It may be due to a lack of beds. Alternatively, youth may feel unsafe, unwelcome and/or discriminated against by shelter providers.

Program Planning

Youth Count data can be used, with other community-level data, to inform service delivery and the development of new programs and initiatives. For example, if your Youth Count reveals an overrepresentation of newcomer youth, your community should consider whether the current programs for newcomer youth are adequate in size and scope. Alternatively, communities may find that Youth Count data provides a compelling argument for services that do not yet exist. For instance, dedicated accommodation for LGBTQ2S youth or youth outreach services.

Housing

Youth Counts, similar to PiT counts, can be used as the first-step of a rehousing initiative. Some youth may be prepared to live independently, with few supports. Other youth may prefer to live in a supportive environment with access to various resources. Consult with stakeholders to determine whether your community is prepared to undertake a rehousing process as part of the Youth Count. Note: a rehousing initiative will require that you collect names and contact details of the Youth Count participants. We recommend that you collect this information separately, rather than on the survey form. The Youth Count survey is not an assessment tool. A follow-up conversation will be required to determine the housing and support needs of youth, thus it is not necessary to link contact details to the survey form.

The Count process does not have to be simply be about collecting data about homeless people in your community; it can be a tool to help your community begin working together to end homelessness. Ensuring ahead of time that you have assessed your community’s ability to take action will facilitate the transition from survey analysis to the rehousing phase.

• You may find 10, 20, 50 people on the street. What will you, as a community do about it?
• What partners and resources can you bring together to rehouse and support these individuals in their new homes?
• Where can you secure subsidies that could be set aside for the purpose of rehousing the survey participants?
• Are there affordable housing providers that could set aside units for those identified in the survey?
• Are there private sector landlords willing to work with service provider to rehouse homeless individuals?

– Excerpt from the COH PiT Count Toolkit

Building Alignment: Tips & Strategies

Effective responses to youth homelessness do not occur in a vacuum. The results of a combined PiT Count and Youth Count should inform a coordinated, system wide response. As a community, consider questions such as “to what extent does the prevalence of youth homelessness in our community contribute to episodic or chronic adult homelessness?” Use the results to determine whether resources are adequately allocated throughout the community.