Building pathways to stability for youth in Yellowknife

Funding provided through Reaching Home: Canada’s Homelessness Strategy

Youth experiencing homelessness face housing instability at a moment when they’re expected to transition into education, employment, and independent living. Without stable housing and consistent support, these transitions can be delayed, or even unattainable, increasing the risk of prolonged instability.

Home Base Yellowknife responds to this challenge through its Youth Housing Program, which provides housing options alongside ongoing, relationship-based support for youth ages 16 to 24. The program is grounded in a Housing First for Youth approach, recognizing that stable housing is the foundation from which young people can begin to address other priorities in their lives.

A youth-centered housing response

Through the Youth Housing Program, eligible youth access apartment units across the community, living independently, with a partner, or with roommates. This flexibility allows participants to choose housing arrangements that reflect their needs and circumstances. Program staff provide individualized support that may include regular check-ins, assistance with budgeting and life skills, education planning, and employment readiness. The level of support is adjusted over time, ensuring that youth can build independence at a sustainable pace.

The program is part of a broader continuum of services offered by Home Base Yellowknife, which has more than 25 years of experience supporting youth. In addition to housing, the organization operates emergency shelter services, a youth centre, mental health and addictions programming, education and employment supports, and food security initiatives. Together, these services create multiple points of access for youth seeking safety, stability, and connection.

From stability to long-term opportunity

By pairing housing with consistent support, the Youth Housing Program helps reduce reliance on emergency services and creates space for young people to focus on long-term goals. Stable housing enables participants to re-engage with education, pursue employment opportunities, and develop the skills required to maintain housing over time. Equally important, the program emphasizes trust, choice and dignity, helping restore stability and a sense of control, which are often disrupted by experiences of homelessness.

Home Base Yellowknife’s vision, “no youth left out,” reflects a commitment to ensuring that young people have access to the stability and support needed to succeed. With Government of Canada funding through Reaching Home’s Territorial Homelessness funding stream, managed in the Northwest Territories by the City of Yellowknife, the Youth Housing Program is helping translate stable housing into meaningful outcomes, from sustained tenancies to renewed engagement in education and employment. By pairing targeted investment with youth-centered supports, the program demonstrates how housing can serve as a catalyst for long-term stability and opportunity.

Quick facts

• Home Base Yellowknife has supported youth for more than 25 years, evolving from SideDoor Ministries into a youth-focused organization delivering housing, shelter, and prevention programs tailored to local needs.
• Youth supported through Home Base Yellowknife can access multiple housing options, including dorm-style housing, emergency shelter, and scattered-site apartments, depending on their needs and level of independence.
• Through Reaching Home, the Government of Canada is investing $5 billion over nine years to help communities across the country prevent and reduce homelessness.

For more information

• Youth Housing Program
• Home Base Yellowknife
• Reaching Home: Canada's Homelessness Strategy