A Cochrane program is searching for adult volunteers willing to take in an at risk youth or young adult as a roommate.
Safe Coach, a program run by Western Rocky View Family and Community Resource Centre for the last three years, helps relieve families during times of strife or disagreement within the home by offering short-term alternative living arrangements until the tension is resolved.
It matches 13 to 24 year olds with hosts that can provide stable living environment for the youth who may be at risk of homelessness.
But now a new aspect is being rolled out for youth transitioning into adulthood – supportive roommates, where the host can help with honing life skills and providing a stable home.
The idea is to help youth needing to transition into independent living but are not quite prepared to do so.
“We know that every family and every story is different but that being said, some common themes we do see are, it could be a conflict, it could be concern with substance use, could be other complexities like mental health challenges, maybe a strain in the parent-teen relationship,” said Cydney Korner, a youth and family support worker.
Korner said the Safe Coach program is hoped to help resolve tension in a home in the healthiest way possible.
“We strive for family reunification, whenever it's possible, it's safe to do so. So that's kind of forefront of our mind.”
However, with the supportive roommate, Korner said it’s hoped to be a longer-term arrangement where those needing a positive role model to ease them into the next stage of their life.
“We're seeing more young adults come through the resource center that are just looking for support with transitioning to adulthood and navigating that,” Korner said.
“So that's also been where the supportive roommate pieces kind of progressed and continue to develop out of. We have an opportunity with our program to fill that need and to work with that.”
The Safe Coach program is largely a volunteer role, though a per diem is offered for utilities and food costs.
Those interested in becoming a supportive roommate can reach out to Western Rocky View Family and Community Resource Centre.
