"We are providing youth with a home, and the supports and connections they need to prevent them from becoming the next generation of unhoused adults," says Mike Gawliuk, CEO of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Kelowna, BC, per the Canadian Press.
Gawliuk is referring to Bright Mindz, a not-for-profit that's been recognized by the Making the Shift Youth Homelessness Prevention Awards for its approach to preventing youth homelessness.
The organization's 18 micro-suites for youth between the ages of 17 and 24 are meant to help them "experience independence while still having access to support," Gawliuk says in a press release.
They're located in an apartment building, which was built by a local builder in collaboration with CMHA Kelowna, BC Housing, and the Ministry of Child and Development, as well as other youth service organizations in the community.
The suites feature two- and three-person living rooms, kitchenette, a bedroom with a bed and dresser, a bathroom, and storage space, per the release.
The young people also have access to services, such as job training, schooling, and after-school programs, Gawliuk says.
"We want them to be as independent as they can be," he adds
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