In almost all counts, trained volunteers administer most of the PiT Count surveys. The benefits for this are two-fold. First, the PiT Count provides an opportunity for members of the public to learn more about the issue of homelessness and engage, often for the first time, with people who are experiencing it. Second, the use of volunteers reduces the cost of the count, allowing for a more fulsome methodology.

Ideally, you will recruit a number of volunteers that have experience working with individuals experiencing homelessness. This could include service providers, social workers, healthcare staff and outreach workers. The count is a key opportunity to engage a range of stakeholders, including the public, in a collective effort to address homelessness. Consider the count as an opportunity to raise awareness and gain allies in the broader movement to end homelessness.

Volunteers will also provide you with important feedback to improve your process for the next count, and they can become a resource to tap on a regular basis, resulting in a win-win outcome as they increase their skills and you reduce your long-term recruitment costs.

– Excerpt from the COH PiT Count Toolkit

A Focus on Youth

Youth Counts, though smaller in scale than community-wide PiT Counts, will still require volunteers. While it may be feasible to conduct your Youth Count entirely with volunteers from the youth-serving sector, it is valuable to involve the public. Treat the Youth Count as an opportunity to build awareness and combat stereotypes about youth homelessness.

The COH PiT Count Toolkit contains thorough guidance and resources for managing volunteers. The following table provides a brief overview of this guidance, along with considerations specific to a Youth Count. For more information on any topic, refer to the links in the “Topic” column. 

TABLE 7. WORKING WITH YOUTH COUNT VOLUNTEERS

TOPIC	COH PIT COUNT TOOLKIT SUMMARY	YOUTH COUNT CONSIDERATIONS
Volunteer Structure & Selecting Team Leaders	Volunteers should work in teams of 2-3. Each team should have a dedicated Team Leader responsible for the safety of the team and ensuring the count methodology is followed.	Youth Count Team Leaders should have experience working with youth, preferably vulnerable youth. Shelter staff, outreach workers, teachers and child and youth workers are good candidates. While teams of 2-3 are adequate for street, shelter and service counts, you may require more volunteers at magnet events.
Volunteer Recruitment	To recruit diverse volunteers, promote the count through various avenues, such as social media, volunteer centres, online forums and media outlets.	Use your network of Youth Count partners to recruit volunteers. Request that your Indigenous and LGBTQ2 service partners recruit volunteer through their networks. Additionally, encourage school staff to participate; this may help to build support for future youth homelessness initiatives. Carefully consider the use of youth volunteers. Refer to Peer Volunteers for more information.
Estimating the Number of Volunteers	To estimate the required number of volunteers, first determine how many volunteer teams you need to cover each survey location. Other considerations are the length of your survey and the number of expected “no-shows” on the day of the count.	In addition to the guidance found in the COH PiT Count Toolkit, consider the number of volunteers you need to conduct any magnet events and/or service counts. It may be difficult to anticipate the number of youth who will attend your magnet event, so make sure there are plenty of volunteers on hand.
Assigning Teams	Create balanced teams. Assign less experienced volunteers to teams with individuals who are more familiar with youth and/or homelessness.	If you are recruiting youth volunteers, consider pairing youth with more experienced volunteers, particularly those with experience in the sector.
Other Volunteer Management Topics	Refer to the COH PiT Count Toolkit for guidance on: Volunteer Management Software Volunteer Templates and Forms Volunteer Recognition

Other Youth Count Considerations

In addition to the guidance above, there are a number of considerations specific to maintaining the privacy and safety of youth. Youth experiencing homelessness are often in a vulnerable situation. As you develop your volunteer recruitment and management plan, ensure that you are prioritising the safety of your volunteers and youth participants.

Public Volunteers vs. Sector Volunteers

As previously stated, recruiting members of the public to participate in the Youth Count has several benefits. However, carefully consider whether there are survey locations that are better served by volunteers from the homelessness or youth-serving sectors. For example, for the safety of youth and volunteers, inexperienced volunteers should not be sent to encampments, since this may pose a safety risk. Outreach workers are a better choice to serve these areas. Similarly, if you are conducting a service count, it may be preferable to use service staff to survey youth, rather than volunteers from the public. Work with your partners to determine the best fit for volunteers.

Hint! Proceed with caution if you are considering using a self- administered survey. Levels of literacy among youth can vary. If you are concerned that youth may be unwilling to disclose certain information to a volunteer, your Youth Count survey may be too invasive.

Peer Volunteers

In Canada and the US, youth with lived experience have participated in counts in various ways. Undoubtedly, input from youth is invaluable. Youth provide helpful feedback on the survey instrument, where to locate youth and how best to promote the count. However, you must carefully consider whether you will recruit youth to conduct surveys. While some communities have had success with youth survey volunteers, others communities have been concerned as to whether youth are comfortable answering questions asked by their peers. Refer to the Youth Count! Process Study for more information. The COH recommends that you consult youth in your community to determine their preferences. If you use peer volunteers, ensure that youth have the option to complete the survey with a non-peer volunteer, if they prefer. 

Helpful Resource PiT Count Volunteer Management (PPT) - Wally Czech, Housing First Specialist, City of Lethbridge *Available on the COH Workspace on Homelessness

Safety

In the context of a Youth Count, it is generally impractical to run detailed checks on volunteers. This means no Youth Count Volunteer—regardless of their experience – should be alone with a youth participant or a youth volunteer. Although surveys should be conducted discreetly and privately, Youth Count volunteers must remain in sight of one another at all times. Similarly, peer volunteers, when acting on behalf of the Youth Count, should not be alone with participants.

Building Alignment: Tips & Strategies

Work with general PiT Count organizers to develop a combined call for volunteers and management plan. It is impractical and likely inefficient to run separate volunteer management processes. As the guidance above states, make every effort to recruit volunteers who have experience with youth. Allocate the most experienced volunteers to youth-specific locations such as youth shelters, transitional housing units and youth services.