Preventing Youth Homelessness in Ottawa

School-Based Early Warning Screening & Support (EWSS) Pathway

Youth homelessness doesn’t begin at the shelter door — it begins in our classrooms. EWSS is a web-inspired, data-informed pathway that lets schools see distress early, respond quickly, and wrap support around students and families before crisis hits.

0%
of homeless youth in Canada had their first episode before age 16.
Our question: what if we had caught them at 10, 11, or 12 — in school?
Upstream / Geelong-inspired early-intervention model + Ottawa ecosystem
Why this matters

Meet Liam – the moment before crisis

Before systems fail, there is always a moment when someone could have noticed. EWSS is designed to act in that moment.

Imagine Liam. He’s 11. This year his grades drop, his hoodie is always up, and he’s suddenly “the disruptive kid”. His teacher sees the change but is already juggling 27 students and doesn’t know what to do beyond sending one more behaviour note home. At home, money is tight, conflict is rising, and no one wants another phone call from the school.

Six months later, Liam’s family is on the brink of losing housing. He enters the youth homelessness system — a system that is incredibly hard and expensive to exit.

EWSS asks a different question: “What if we had one simple, coordinated pathway in schools that flagged Liam’s distress early, connected his family to support, and stabilised things before he needed a shelter bed?”
The Idea

A school-based early-warning pathway, not just another program

The EWSS Pathway identifies distress in students aged 9–12, connects them with timely supports, and stabilizes family conflict before it escalates into disengagement or homelessness.

Problem
Silent escalation
Teachers and peers see early warning signs — absenteeism, mood shifts, conflict — but Ottawa has no coordinated, school-embedded pathway to respond before risk turns into crisis or shelter entry.
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Core solution
EWSS Pathway
A structured early-warning, referral, and support pathway embedded in schools, informed by the Upstream/Geelong framework. It flags risk early, routes students to appropriate services, and coordinates follow-up across school and community partners.
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Who it serves
Youth 9–12 + families
Students aged 9–12 in Ottawa public schools and their caregivers – especially those living with mental health distress, family conflict, income stress, and school disengagement risk.
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Big objective
Prevention, not triage
Catch distress early, stabilise families sooner, and reduce the number of youth whose first experience of homelessness happens before age 16.
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Pathway

How the EWSS Pathway works

Three core components form a continuous pathway from early detection to coordinated support.

1. Early mental-health screening
Screen
  • Brief, trauma-informed, culturally safe screening tools for students aged 9–12.
  • Run annually in class with clear consent & confidentiality protocols.
  • Flags distress early, before disengagement or dropout.
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2. Referral pathway
Link
  • Clear thresholds and scripts for when/how to refer students (Green / Yellow / Red).
  • Warm hand-offs to social workers, psychologists, and community partners.
  • Family-inclusive processes that aim to reduce blame and increase collaboration.
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3. Coordinated support network
Wrap-around

A network of partners supports students and families:

  • School-based social workers & psychologists.
  • BGC Ottawa, Youth Services Bureau, Operation Come Home.
  • Crossroads/YouTurn, Voice Found, housing & employment supports.
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Innovation+

What makes our EWSS model competition-ready

Beyond a pathway, we add digital tools, youth leadership, teacher support, and predictive insights that make EWSS stand out among 30+ teams — and scalable across Ottawa.

Digital EWSS Insights Dashboard
Data in real-time
  • Shows number of students screened and risk tiers (Green/Yellow/Red).
  • Tracks trends by grade, classroom, and time of year.
  • Provides equity breakdown (anonymous) to highlight where support is lacking.
  • Helps principals and social workers plan resources proactively instead of reacting to crisis.
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Youth Connectors
By youth, for youth
  • Part-time paid youth mentors (older students or youth leaders) trained to walk alongside flagged students.
  • Reduce stigma, build trust, and make supports feel less “clinical”.
  • Create meaningful youth employment and leadership opportunities.
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Teacher Micro-Intervention Toolkit
Ready on Day 1
  • Short grounding and de-escalation activities.
  • Conversation scripts for talking with students and caregivers.
  • Mini group activities to build belonging in the classroom.
  • One-page “what to do when EWSS flags a student” guide.
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Simple Predictive Risk Model
Evidence-based
  • 3–5 key factors (e.g., attendance, emotional distress, conflict, prior involvement with services).
  • Weighted scoring creates Green/Yellow/Red risk tiers.
  • Allows early pattern detection instead of waiting for obvious crisis signs.
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Families & Consent

Trauma-informed consent and whole-family support

EWSS is designed with families, not done to them. Ethics, trust, and cultural safety are built into the model.

Trauma-Informed Consent Model
Safe by design
  • Plain-language consent forms, translated into key community languages.
  • Short explainer video for caregivers on what EWSS is (and what it is not).
  • Clear explanation of confidentiality, data use, and right to opt out.
  • Options for youth to share concerns privately with trusted adults.
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Parent & Caregiver Support Track
Whole household
  • Monthly workshops on communication, conflict, and stress management.
  • Rapid referrals to housing stabilization, income support, and food programs.
  • Newcomer-specific support with navigation of Canadian systems.
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Youth Advisory Circles
Nothing about us without us
  • 8–10 students per pilot school provide feedback on screening questions and materials.
  • Help ensure tools feel respectful, relevant, and not like surveillance.
  • Build youth agency in shaping supports meant for them.
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Implementation & Budget

From pilot to proof of impact

A four-phase pilot with OCDSB and Upstream/Geelong mentorship, backed by a targeted budget and clear roles.

Phase 1 – Months 1–3
Approval & Initiation
  • Secure OCDSB ethics approval; confirm data protection & privacy protocols.
  • Create trauma-informed, multi-language consent materials.
  • Select one pilot school (~100 students) and establish youth advisory circle.
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Phase 2 – Month 4
Survey & Tool Design
  • Co-design screening questions with educators, youth, and community partners.
  • Conduct factor analysis to identify key risk clusters and weightings.
  • Design prototype of the digital EWSS dashboard.
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Phase 3 – Years 1–4
4-year Pilot
  • Screen students annually from age 9 to 12.
  • Activate referral pathway and Youth Connectors for flagged students.
  • Deploy teacher toolkit and family support track.
  • Capture dashboard data to monitor trends and equity gaps.
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Phase 4 – Ongoing
Impact Validation
  • Compare EWSS students to non-EWSS peers on attendance, grades, behaviour, and where ethical, homelessness/shelter contacts.
  • Report outcomes to funders, school boards, and community partners to scale the model.
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Pilot Budget – $135,000
Lean & scalable
  • Teacher training & toolkit – $5,000
  • Digital dashboard & survey tools – $10,000
  • Evaluation (CRECS, OCDSB) – $20,000
  • Navigator / Upstream support + coordination – $100,000
City of Ottawa Ministry of Education OCDSB Federal prevention funds Private partners (RBC, TELUS)
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Impact

From early identification to fewer youth in shelters

EWSS generates layered outcomes over time – from classroom climate today to reduced homelessness in five years.

Short-term (Year 1)
In-school impact
  • Earlier identification of mental-health and family stress.
  • Faster, coordinated responses among teachers, social workers, and youth connectors.
  • Reduced classroom disruption; increased sense of safety and support.
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Medium-term (Years 1–4)
Student & family stability
  • Improved attendance and academic performance.
  • Stabilised family conflict through mediation and practical supports.
  • Stronger school attachment and belonging; reduced suspensions and dropouts.
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Long-term (5+ years)
System-level change
  • Fewer youth entering homelessness or shelter systems.
  • Higher graduation rates and better employment readiness.
  • Reduced long-term public costs of homelessness (justice, health, housing).
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Five-Year Projection (Pilot Scenario)
Illustrative

If we screen 300 students per year and effectively support even 10% of those at elevated risk, that’s 30 students per year diverted from deeper crisis. Over five years:

  • 150 students with earlier support and stronger attachment to school.
  • Dozens of potential shelter episodes prevented or shortened.
  • Significant savings in crisis-response costs – and incalculable benefits in human potential.
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Equity Lens

Designed with – not just for – marginalized youth

EWSS is not surveillance; it is a safety net. It is co-designed to be culturally safe, trauma-informed, and accessible to youth who face the highest risk of homelessness.

Tailored supports for families navigating a new country, including translated screening materials, cultural brokers, and newcomer-serving partners so screenings feel supportive — never punitive.
Ecosystem & Sustainability

Who makes the EWSS Pathway possible – and how we sustain it

EWSS stands on strong partnerships and a realistic sustainability plan that makes long-term scale feasible.

Schools & In-School Teams
OCDSB
  • Teachers & administrators – identify concerns and host screenings.
  • School social workers – frontline case management and family support.
  • Psychologists – assessment and therapeutic interventions.
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Community & Housing Partners
Wrap-around
  • BGC Ottawa – mentorship, recreation, and community connection.
  • Youth Services Bureau, Operation Come Home – housing, outreach, crisis supports.
  • Crossroads / YouTurn – behavioural intervention and mentorship.
  • Voice Found – trauma-informed supports for survivors of exploitation.
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Research & Evaluation
Evidence-driven
  • CRECS & academic partners – design, factor analysis, and outcome evaluation.
  • Upstream / Geelong – navigator role, model mentorship, and knowledge transfer.
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Sustainability & Scaling Plan
Beyond the pilot
  • Short term: fund pilot through City of Ottawa, Ministry of Education, and targeted grants.
  • Medium term: integrate EWSS into school board budgets as a core prevention tool.
  • Long term: scale to additional schools using the dashboard, toolkit, and validated risk model.
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For your judged PDF poster: screenshot this ecosystem section or replicate it as a visual journey map: school → EWSS pathway → community supports → reduced youth homelessness.

“EWSS gives teachers the tools, students the support, and families the strength to prevent crisis before it begins.”