New shelter focuses on youth

The Prince George Native Friendship Centre officially opened The Village – a 20-bed youth shelter and transitional housing facility – at Second Avenue and George Street. The Village will provide 10 emergency shelter beds and 10 transitional housing units for youth, in addition to support for daily living, meals, community resources, social development and employment assistance.

The Village will be part of the Native Friendship Centre’s Reconnect program, which has been helping at-risk youth for 17 years. “You are making a difference and you have made a difference,” B.C. Education Minister Shirley Bond told program supporters at the opening ceremony. The provincial and federal government each contributed $322,500 in start up funding for the project, the City provided $10,000 and the Native Friendship Centre provided $435,000 in the form of the building and land.

Bond also announced $1.2 million in annual operational funding for The Village on behalf of Children and Family Development Minister Stan Hagen. Andre Robichaud, manager of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) B.C. community development office, said he was pleased to see the project be completed. CMHC was the federal agency which provided the funds. “This project demonstrates our commitment to giving young people access to safe and affordable housing,” Robichaud said. “I want to commend the [Native Friendship Centre] for its decades of work on behalf of aboriginal and non-aboriginal peoples. Today’s event illustrates the value of partnership.”

However, no one knows the value of the Reconnect program as well as Crystal Haynes. As a young girl, Haynes ran away from her hometown of Terrace and came to Prince George. “I was a kid in care. I had no where to go,” she said. An outreach worker convinced her to find out about the Reconnect program, she said. “It’s better to sleep there than on the street,” she said. “They fed me and made sure I had access to programs and stuff. It helped me out hugely.” The program gave her more than a place to stay, it helped her develop the life skills she needed to get on her feet, she said. Now 19 years old, Haynes said she is looking forward to the future. “I came from being a suicidal little girl. With no support, I probably wouldn’t be here talking to you,” she said. “It’s a great program.”

Arthur Williams
May 31 2006

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