WHITEHORSE — In partnership with the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre, the Yukon government is relocating the emergency youth shelter from the Sarah Steele Building to another downtown location that is larger and more suitable for youth.
“This new location will allow us to increase the number of shelter beds available to youth, and offers a venue that is better suited to the youth who use the shelter,” Health and Social Services Minister Doug Graham said. “We are happy to have the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre provide the shelter services, while the centre continues to provide the youth outreach program that it has delivered for the past four years.”
“Helping youth at risk has been a long-standing value of the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre,” Skookum Jim President Doug Bishop said. “This value is reflected in everything from after-school tutoring and recreation programming to our outreach workers. We will continue to support the needs of the community by being involved positively.”
The Yukon Housing Corporation is providing the house for the new shelter, which is expected to open its doors in early December. Until then, youth requiring shelter will continue to use the beds available at the Sarah Steele Building.
“We are talking about youth who are highly vulnerable and at risk,” Graham added. “The services that Skookum Jim provides to them can be of tremendous assistance and support to those in need.”
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Contact:
| Elaine Schiman Cabinet Communications 867-633-7961 elaine.schiman@gov.yk.ca |
Delilah Pillai Executive Director Skookum Jim Friendship Centre 867-633-7687 sjfcexecutive@northwestel.net |
| Pat Living Communications, Health & Social Services 867-667-3673 patricia.living@gov.yk.ca |