LE3 .A278 2021

2021

Sweatman, Mary

Acadia University

Master of Community Development

Masters

Community Development

Community Development

Youth make up 20 percent of the homeless population in Canada and are the fastest growing demographic among Canada’s homeless population (Gaetz O’Grady, Kidd, & Schwan, 2016). Much of the existing data on homelessness, however, emerges from urban centres, leaving rural homelessness less understood. This community-based participatory research study aims to better understand rural youth homelessness through two methods, a service-based count in order to identify the rates of rural youth homelessness in three Nova Scotia municipalities, and focus groups to understand service provider perspectives of rural youth homelessness. This research identified 46 youth experiencing homelessness in the three municipalities and explores barriers for homeless youth when accessing support service in rural settings, barriers specific to LGBTQ2S+ and racially marginalized homeless youth, the impact of a lack of safe social spaces for rural homeless youth, and harmful community attitudes towards homeless youth.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3643