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Youth outreach program faces funding shortfall

Watari staff try to keep program alive

A Downtown Eastside outreach group turned to carolling just before Christmas last Friday to raise attention and money for its cash-starved youth outreach program.

Watari Youth, Family and Community Services is losing two of its five support staff on Dec. 31 because it doesn't have enough money to pay the workers it brought on as part of pilot project launched in January. Staff sang carols downtown at Waterfront Station Friday mid-afternoon.

Michelle Fortin, Watari's executive director, said the group is facing a funding shortfall of $137,000.

"As of the end of this month, if we don't find the money through the Ministry for Children and Family Development or say the Vancouver Aboriginal Child and Family Services Society, we're actually going to lose the ability to work with those kids under the age of 19 in terms of outreach," said Fortin.

The organization provides outreach support for 150 youth between the ages of 13 to 24 every month. Fortin estimated some 70 of these fit in the under-19 category.

The two jobs, an outreach worker and aboriginal support worker, were created from a reallocation of money within Watari's budget. The pilot program sought to connect organizations working in the area to provide a more integrated approach to outreach. Other partners include Vancouver Coastal Health and the City of Vancouver.

VCH gives $675,000 annually to fund Watari's day program and community addiction services at two sites, which spokesperson Anna Marie D'Angelo said it will continue to fund. She said VCH has no plans to provide money beyond that.

"We certainly support the work they do and we are involved with this pilot and we think it's valuable, but we understand budget constraints and certainly we're all trying to stretch our dollars and provide the best services possible," D'Angelo said.

Fortin said VCH has done enough and she'd like to see more from the Ministry for Children and Family Development.

Sheldon Johnson, media spokesperson for the ministry, said in an email statement to the Courier the ministry will not provide money to Watari.

"Within this challenging fiscal climate the Ministry of Children and Family Development is focused on optimizing our existing resources to ensure our current services remain effective," he wrote.

He listed programs the ministry supports in the Downtown Eastside, including transition beds and supportive housing, the Aboriginal Youth Safe House as well as I-RAYL, a program that provides support for youth along the SkyTrain corridor.

Fortin said none of the programs mentioned by the ministry focus enough on youth in the Downtown Eastside. The safe houses in south Vancouver are too far away, she said.

"We have a focus in the city around street-involved youth and working with them and yet the Downtown Eastside seems to have been cut out of the mix," Fortin said.

"I think a part of it is that people are fearful, people don't want young people to be in the Downtown Eastside. But head-in-the-sand attitude isn't going to get them out of there."

Fortin is hoping the carolling will help raise $32,000 to get the organization through the next three months.

"My hope is that this raises enough awareness that we can cobble together some funds that allow us to keep going so that we can bring the right players together and have a conversation," Fortin said.

"This is a population of young people that deserves our attention."

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