Notre Dame House
Notre Dame House is a 24-hour emergency shelter and multi-agency resource centre for homeless and street-involved youth 16 to 21 years of age. The six-week program uses a unique team approach that pairs each young person with a youth support worker who helps them reach their personal goals using strength based, client centred approaches. Program objectives are achieved through advocacy, case coordination, recreational/ therapeutic programming, informal counseling and connections to housing, education, income resources and other identified needs.
Services Offered:
- A 20-bed emergency shelter and multi-agency resource centre
- 24 hours a day, 365 days a year admissions
- A drop-in meal program, Monday to Friday
A Section 23 School with two teachers from the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board - Assignment to a youth support worker to encourage residents’ strengths and aid in working out personal goals
- Case management and rapport building
Safety planning and goal evaluation and review - Mental Health Community Liaison Nurse
- Access to Nurse Practitioner, General Practitioner, Nutritionist and Psychiatrist
- Access to Addictions Counselor (AY)
- Aftercare services such as informal counselling, and use of free laundry facilities and telephone
- Outreach and telephone support
Resources Available:
- Help with getting back into school or finding a job
- Life and living skills knowledge and practical teaching
- Help applying for Social Assistance
- Help accessing permanent housing
- Counselling for personal/legal issues
- Support with medical/mental health/addiction issues
- Youth Trustee Program
- Therapeutic Recreational activities and events
Notre Dame House School
In 2001, Good Shepherd opened a school at Notre Dame House to fulfill an evident need: to meet the educational needs of street-involved and homeless youth in the downtown core. The highly successful program now employs two full-time teachers from the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic School Board and one full-time Child and Youth Worker. 30 students are currently attending the school, and there is an extensive waiting list.
While the main focus of the school is to promote academic excellence among students, the program also encourages spiritual development. Students are offered a choice of ministry required courses using Independent Learning Centre (ILC) materials, and are required to participate in a physical education component every morning at the James Street YMCA.
The program revolves around the concept of body, mind and spirit. Students are presented with many options to help them achieve success: co-op education; the Ontario Youth Apprentice Plan (OYAP); the opportunity to obtain a secondary school diploma while applying to college or university etc.
The Notre Dame School has many success stories. Last June, we celebrated the graduation of our first two students. One of these students is working full time. The other is attending Mohawk College.
The community plays a great role in the success of the school program. Many social services are tapped to assist students who must overcome huge obstacles in order to succeed. We are fortunate to be able to maintain a low student/teacher ratio in order to meet the needs of our students.