Members of a youth working group behind the establishment of a Saint John Youth House, an emergency housing facility on the property of the former St. James Church in South End Saint John addressed Diocesan Council on March 23. Standing above they are: Mark Legere of the Human Deveopment Council, Nina Oliveira of the John Howard Society, Tara Parlee of The Resource Centre — One Chance, the Rev, Paul Ranson of Saint John South End Ministry, and Colin McDonald of Vibrant Communities. In front of them are council members Rick Hadad, the Rev. Bob LeBlanc, and council vice-chair Ann Fairweather.
St. James’ legacy of ministry to community and youth lives on
by Ana Watts
St. James Church building in south end Saint John may be an empty shell (the parish closed its doors in 2005), but the spirit of community support and compassion, especially for young people, that has always dwelt there remains. Whether the building is gutted and renovated, or demolished and rebuilt, the St. James property is the future home of Saint John Youth House, an emergency housing facility.
“There is a real need for housing and support services in the south end to put young people on the path to independence and self-sufficiency,” says the Rev. Paul Ranson, the eyes, ears and heart of Saint John South End Ministry.
Archbishop Claude Miller appointed Paul to that ministry last year to do a needs assessment. With the support of David Edwards, rector of Stone Church and archdeacon of Saint John, Paul walked and talked, pondered and prayed, and identified youth homelessness as an urgent and essential ministry the Anglican community in Saint John is uniquely suited to undertake.
“The St. James property is perfect for a youth house and the bishop (Archbishop Miller) is really excited about it,” says Paul. “He’s going to form a not-for-profit group, and we will cover it all with prayer.”
This isn’t, however, a project to be tackled by just one group. Paul is working with representatives of the Human Development Council (HRDC), John Howard Society (JHS), the Resource Centre for Youth (TRC), One Life (Living Independently for Education) and Vibrant Communities who constitute the youth working group of the Greater Saint John Homeless Steering Committee (GSJHSC). They shared the facts, figures and human stories of youth homelessness with Diocesan Council when it met in the Parish of the Nerepis and Saint John on March 23. Council caught the vision and approved the project in principle.
It is difficult to get accurate statistics, but the people on the ground know there are significant numbers of young people between 16 and 24 living on the streets or in unsafe, unstable places. They are couch surfing, staying in adult shelters, even crack houses. They are often the victims of abuse or neglect at home, some suffer with depression and other mental health issues, and of course drug and alcohol addictions are often at play as well. Not all of them are in school, but those who are usually struggle, and they are all vulnerable to criminal influences from drug dealers and pimps.
“We are going to build a facility that will complement and strengthen the existing housing and support services for homeless youth,” says Paul. “We are strongly networked through government and non-profits and this is going to happen. We’re not talking about just housing, we are talking about life skills, addictions counseling, mental health treatment, education and employment training. Right now TRC provides basic services and case management. The JHS provides support programs. ONE LIFE provides transitional housing and support services. But there is no emergency housing facility for homeless youth. At the end of the day, caseworkers at these agencies have nowhere to send young people who have no home to go to. Addressing this gap was identified as a top priority by the Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative (BCAPI) forum on at-risk youth, the HRDF study on youth homelessness and the Greater Saint John Homelessness Steering Committee.”
The Toss Solutions architect firm is volunteering services to the youth working group and is working on the renovate/build new problem. The present building suffers from some expensive mould and asbestos issues and will be difficult to heat. But a brand new building comes with a high price tag too. Canada Mortgage and Housing (CMHC) is funding the development of a business plan that may show the way forward.
Whatever the decision, this emergency housing facility will be part of the continuum of services for homeless youth in Saint John. It will have 10 beds (male and female), a maximum stay of two months, be within walking distance of schools and other services for homeless youth. The facility will seek funding from faith community and private partners, and all levels of government.
The Anglican Church in general and St. James in particular has a long history of youth and community ministry in the south end. It was in the St. James hall that the Chicken Noodle Club was born. It evolved into the present Saint John Inner City Youth Ministry that continues to thrive today. In 2006 a four-unit apartment building with only one bedroom in each apartment was built on the site of the former church hall. It offers affordable housing for non-elderly low-income people — and is a joint project of Saint John Non-Profit Housing, the Diocese of Fredericton and the former Parish of St. James.
