It has been incredible to see the Work 2 Live program grow to house 11 youth over the last few months.  The new housing units combined with our 7 day/week support has led to higher levels of engagement and more proactive support than ever before.  The Zero Ceiling Society of Canada team are really proud to be able to offer the quality of housing we can, which youth deserve, and it’s great to see the positive impact on their well-being.  New participants are focused on finding stability.  For example, when they first join the program we ensure they have ID, bank accounts and additional possessions required to earn an income.  We also connect them with any healthcare supports they require. After that, the focus is on settling into the workplace and learning their new role and developing the skills to maintain that employment.  More senior participants are starting to plan for the future, identifying goals they would like to work towards and when they will be ready to transition out of our housing units.  The biggest challenge preventing youth from moving on from our housing, when they are ready, is the cost of housing in our local area.  From Vancouver to Pemberton, the average cost of a private room is far higher than many youth can afford, even when working full time.  We continue to look for partnership opportunities so we can support youth to find stable, long-term housing once they are ready to exit the program.