VANCOUVER 鈥� A Surrey non-profit agency is trying to raise $250,000 to create homes for teens who must leave the foster care system at age 19 and often face homelessness and poverty.
It is believed the initiative will create the first suites in the Lower Mainland specifically for youth transitioning out of child welfare, although other agencies do include these young people in their general housing pool, said Douglas Dunn, executive director of SOS Children鈥檚 Village B.C.
The local arm of the international charity has launched a capital campaign to build the Transition to Adulthood Suites in Surrey for former foster children who lose financial funding and access to social workers when they turn 19 in B.C.
The documented outcomes for these teenagers are dire: compared with children from more traditional homes, their high school graduation rates are low and they are far more likely to be homeless, unemployed and struggle with addictions or crime.
Dunn said youth who move into the yet-to-be built suites can stay for six months to a year, as they gain skills and receive help to find permanent housing. During their stay and after they move, they will continue to receive support 鈥� everything from learning to cook to finding jobs 鈥� through the agency鈥檚 pre-existing Transition to Adult Program.
鈥淲e are about attachment. We want to attach to them. I鈥檝e met one foster child who moved 30 times,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hy would we stop caring about them at 19? A parent wouldn鈥檛 stop loving them at 19.鈥�
There is momentum building right now in B.C., Dunn believes, from people and organizations who say foster children should receive the same government support until at least age 21, and not be sent adrift to navigate the patchwork adult welfare system.
He noted the non-profit 91原创 Foundation has funded programs to support these youth beyond 19.
B.C.鈥檚 representative for children and youth, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, has called on the government to increase the age of foster care.
And The Sun produced a series of stories earlier this year about other provincial and American governments that have extended support, the improved outcomes for youth as a result, and the cost-benefit of keeping these kids out of jails and welfare lineups so they can be employed and healthy citizens.
鈥淭he foster care system in British Columbia is broken. This past year has seen the publication of eye-opening articles on the issue 鈥� (including) The 91原创 Sun鈥檚 hard-hitting From Care to Where series,鈥� said a SOS press release announcing the capital campaign.
SOS has raised $1,500 since launching the campaign a few weeks ago, but hopes more pledges will roll in as a result of solicitations sent to more than 200 potential funders in the Lower Mainland.
The local SOS group does not receive funding from SOS Children鈥檚 Villages International. No current provincial or federal funding programs are applicable to this type of renovation project, Dunn said, although he would greatly accept any government support.
Individuals can also donate on the agency鈥檚 website, www.sosbc.org.
The $250,000 will be used to renovate the empty basements of five houses in Surrey the charity already owns in its 鈥渧illage,鈥� which includes a sports court, art studio, youth workers and therapy programs. The youth can also access clothes, household goods and other items for free from the agency鈥檚 two thrift stores.
Two-bedroom suites with kitchens and bathrooms will accommodate a total of 10 former foster kids, and any children of their own. (Statistics show foster children have more babies as teenagers than youths from more stable homes.)
Dunn hopes to raise enough money to renovate two of the suites by the end of this year, and the other three by next summer.
鈥淲e are looking forward to seeing some alumni go out and become independent adults,鈥� he said.
Surrey鈥檚 five-house SOS Children鈥檚 Village, the only one in Canada, was created years ago to house kids still in the foster system who could not find stable homes. The agency believes the older teens in the basement suites will feel part of this 鈥渇amily.鈥�
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