Support for Youth Leaving Care

PARC is a preparation for independence program serving youth in care and youth who were formerly in care in Toronto and the GTA. Their One Stop Housing program is funded by the City of Toronto’s Homeless Initiative Fund to assist youth who are homeless or at risk of homelessness to find and maintain housing. They offer resources such as housing lists, information on tenant’s rights, and referrals, as well as support, mediation, assistance with applications for subsidized housing, eviction prevention services, advocacy, and housing workshops.

Former Crown wards and other youth who have left or are leaving care may be eligible to enroll in the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS) Aftercare Benefits Initiative (ABI) providing comprehensive prescription, dental, vision, extended health benefits as well as a range of counselling and other life-skills supports (depression care, financial planning, career coaching, legal advice and much more).

YouthRAP is a website intended to provide youth in care and youth living independently with an easily accessible, comprehensive source of information, resources, and services. The website has information relating to education, housing, employment, and other resources.

Run by the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada, the fund provides support for youth by offering travel and accommodation assistance to young people from care aged 16-29 who would like to connect with their friends or loved ones or do not have a place to stay during the holiday season. This support is offered every year between October to December.

TELUS’ Mobility for Good™ program provides youth with access to a TELUS cell phone plan at $0 per month, which will include unlimited across Canada talk and text and up to 3GB of monthly data usage. Youth who do not have a phone will have the option of receiving a smartphone from TELUS. Young people are eligible if they are, or would have been eligible for Continued Care and Support for Youth (CCSY) at any Ontario Children’s Aid Society.