OUR MISSION

Empower youth facing homelessness to reach their individual potential.

ABOUT YWS

In 1986, a group of teachers and guidance counsellors saw the lack of safe, emergency housing and support programs for their students in need, and decided to join together to create Youth Without Shelter.  Since that time YWS has helped more than 16,000 youth build their confidence and life-skills and to find long-term stable housing and jobs.  We have become known as a house where a youth's culture and needs are understood, and where each youth receives individual-needs based support, practical guidance, and training through a wrap-around model of programming.

Located in the community of North Etobicoke, YWS is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, providing a safe refuge for youth aged 16 to 24. We don’t just provide a warm bed for a night; we offer practical advice and guidance from trained staff, wrap-around support programs, and a safe, comfortable space to live. Our goal is to ensure that every youth who walks through our doors has the support, guidance, and resources they need in order to exit the cycle of homelessness towards independent, stable living.

WHY WE ARE DIFFERENT

Since our founding 40 years ago, YWS has specialized in a model of care that identifies and builds on our clients’ strengths and resiliency. At YWS, we meet youth where they are, recognizing that each young person’s journey is unique and requires individualized support – not a one-size-fits-all approach. We believe there is no single path out of crisis. That’s why YWS Personal Case Managers (PCM's) partner with each youth individually to identify their needs and goals, building customized plans that support healing, growth, and long-term stability.

Throughout their journey with us – whether through our Emergency Residential Program, our Stay In School Program, or both – youth are supported every step of the way. Personal Case Managers (PCMs) meet regularly with each young person and collaborate closely with other support staff to ensure coordinated, consistent care. This support does not end once housing goals are achieved. We remain committed to helping youth maintain stability and stay successfully housed in the community. That ongoing support can include access to our food bank, use of laundry facilities, and continued connection to trusted staff and resources.

Youth Without Shelter's vision is to provide a community where all youth have accessible pathways to independence and a safe place to call home.