Project Overview

Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (2SLGBTQ+) youth experience high rates of hidden homelessness and often avoid service engagement due to stigma and discrimination. This project will investigate how Ontario’s homelessness responses interrupt pathways into and out of hidden homelessness for 2SLGBTQ youth. The project focuses on three sites with moderate to high numbers of youth-specific homelessness response services-York Region, London, and Toronto. An environmental scan of the youth homelessness response and key informant interviews at each site will identify the challenges and facilitators of service provision for 2SLGBTQ youth. Peer researchers will support 2SLGBTQ youth experiencing hidden homelessness in identifying how the homelessness sector has intervened in their pathways into and out of homelessness through in-depth interviews and cellphilm method, a participatory visual method that involves creating short videos with mobile technology. The videos will engage stakeholders and identify actionable steps to address the needs of 2SLGBTQ youth.