Housing Support
Operation Come Home offers a variety of housing based programming and supports, to homeless and at-risk youth in Ottawa. All housing programs at OCH operate within a “Housing First” framework. Housing First is described as a housing staff that has adopted a recovery-oriented approach in-which staff believe that all individuals deserve and have a right to housing with no pre-conditions.
For questions on housing support please call 613-230-4663
General Housing Assistance
General Housing Assistance is available through the drop-in, to any youth between the ages of 16-26. The GHA worker will work to divert youth from the shelter system into other housing options, as well as supporting youth with maintaining and/or securing long-term housing. The GHA staff is available to support the youth with any housing goals and needs they may have.
Support includes:
Tenant rights education
Completing housing documents
Housing Search
Eviction Prevention
Referrals
Financial Literacy
Tay-VI-SPDAT Assessments
Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) Program
The Voluntary Youth Services Agreement (VYSA) program engages a housing support worker (HSW) who acts as a dedicated case manager for youth aged 16 and 17, focusing primarily on housing acquisition and retention. The HSW collaborates with The Children’s Aid Society (CAS) and the Ministry of Child and Youth Services (MCYS) to support the most vulnerable youth in the community across various areas, including peer support, education, employment, mental health & addiction, and social/recreation.
Housing Based Case Management (HBCM)
A Housing Based Case Manager (HBCM) works as a member of a Housing First team to provide individualized supports to homeless or at-risk youth, with various acuity levels, in order to assist them in obtaining stable and long-term housing. HBCM’s connect youth to other resources that support housing retention. These supports include peer support, education, employment, mental health & addiction, and social/recreation. HBCM’s work with Youth on an ongoing basis, through case management, to assess areas of support and assist clients in gaining knowledge and skills to live independently.