Health and Well-being

Every young person at Covenant House has hard circumstances behind them and an uncertain future ahead. Each one of them also brings their unique strengths, hopes and dreams.

Health and well-being supports are essential to renew a young person's sense of potential.

At Covenant House, youth access a range of health and well-being services. Over the years, we've seen that the best care comes through healing body, mind, heart and spirit. With this in mind, we offer services that bring a holistic approach to trauma.

By the numbers

4,085 youth visits to our BensKids Health Centre.

390 youth supported with their mental health concerns.

46 youth matched with mentors.

^{All numbers above based on Covenant House Toronto administrative data (2021).}

Health and well-being support programs

Mental well-being

We've seen an increase in youth with mental health and addiction concerns and a lot of youth who lack positive coping skills. Covenant House staff are trained to recognize the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledge the role that trauma has played in the lives of young people.

Mental health services

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We deliver services that are responsive to each youth's mental health and addiction needs. Personalized support is provided through:

Counselling
Access to a psychiatrist at our on-site health centre
Partnerships with mental health organizations including Youthdale, Breakaway Addiction Services, CAMH and the YMCA's Youth Substance Abuse Program

Our anti-human trafficking advocates provide specialized trauma-informed support to sex trafficking victims, working across all Covenant House locations.

Physical well-being

When living on the street, couch surfing or moving between shelters, youth are in survival mode. This takes a big toll on physical health. Our health centre aims to change that.

BensKids Health Centre

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Our health centre supports youth regardless of whether they have ID or health coverage. This ensures each young person can access their right to health care.

From first aid to lab tests, our passionate health care team tailors care to individual needs. We also refer youth to low-cost community health services, widening the network of support.

Sports and recreation

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In surveying youth every year, we hear that recreation and sports are key ways they unwind and reconnect with their bodies. Our in-house sports and fitness activities provide a form of physical release and a means to gain strength and boost confidence. From basketball to yoga, young people can access a wide range of activities on a daily basis.

Emotional well-being

From fractured families to trafficking, youth who come to Covenant House have already been through a lot. We view every interaction with a young person as an opportunity to build trust, safety and emotional support.

By forging strong relationships and providing mentorship, we offer a safe space to land.

Emotional well-being is the foundation for each of the programs below.

Lise Watier: This is Me! Girls Program

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Young women whose journeys have included homelessness are far more likely to have already experienced abusive and exploitative relationships and trafficking.

The young women who come to our doors need compassionate, specialized care to recover from the trauma they have experienced whether at home or on the street.

The Lise Watier: This is Me! Girls Program offers tailored life skills workshops, discussion groups, female mentors and special outings. The activities provide our young women with life skills that enhance their self esteem such as:

Knowledge on healthy relationships
Meditation and self-care techniques
Career building skills
Finance and household management know-how

The Poy Family Mentorship Program

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Every year, the Covenant House volunteer mentorship program manages and matches over 40 young people to adult mentors who provide life guidance, coaching and support.

We carefully screen every applicant and pair successful candidates with youth based on compatibility and need. We ask all mentors to make a commitment of at least one year to ensure consistency and strong relationships.

Learn more about The Poy Family Mentorship Program.

Spiritual well-being

When trauma is part of a young person's life and they have experienced abuse and neglect, it's easy to question everything. We're with them in their search.

Spiritual care

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The spiritual care programming at Covenant House helps youth of all religious or agnostic and cultural backgrounds to regain a sense of purpose and meaning. We support youth with services that nurture their spirit, whatever that looks like to them:

Pastoral support
Opportunities to reconnect with chosen communities of faith
Meditation and yoga
Expressive arts
Life coaching
Counselling
Memorial services
Accompaniment to appointments