Impact

Making the Shift Significant Research Discoveries

Making the Shift has reshaped views and responses to youth homelessness in Canada and beyond.

Research supported by Making the Shift has produced groundbreaking evidence in support of the life-altering benefits of prevention to not only the lives of the youth, but also to their families and the communities they live in.

Housing First for Youth

Housing First for Youth (HF4Y) demonstration projects have shown substantial improvements in housing stability, mental health, and overall well-being for youth.

Family and Natural Supports

Family and Natural Supports (FNS) interventions have been shown to improve family relationships, emotional support, and stable living conditions.

Indigenous Homelessness

Indigenous-led projects advanced data sovereignty, cultural approaches, and self-determination in youth homelessness research.

COVID-19

COVID-19 research projects documented the pandemic’s impact on youth, shaping national recovery responses.

Data and Technology

Data and technology innovations built prototypes for shared data infrastructures to help policymakers and service providers track and prevent homelessness.

Making the Shift Research Summary Series

Demonstration Projects as Catalysts for Change

Central to Making the Shift was its Demonstration Lab (MtS DEMS), designed to prototype, test, evaluate, and iterate promising, evidence-informed program models in real community settings across Canada. Anchored by design thinking and rigorous research, the projects became living laboratories for social transformation.

From Research to Real-World Change

One of the most enduring legacies of Making the Shift is its commitment to ensuring that research and evidence do not sit on a shelf, but instead shape policies, transform practices, and empower communities.

Legacy Achievements

At the onset of MtS, prevention was not part of mainstream discourse for ending youth homelessness in Canada. Our 2023 needs assessment found that almost 90% of respondents believed prevention was necessary to end youth homelessness. However, in many cases, they said they lacked the knowledge and resources to implement prevention effectively. Today, we have the evidence and the growing capacity for training and technical assistance to support implementation.

Some of MtS’ biggest achievements include:

Hosted the International Conference on the Prevention of Youth Homelessness (2025) with over 600 participants from around the world.

Supported the International Transitions from Child Protection Symposium (2023), creating opportunities to share best practices and foster better outcomes for youth in and from care.

2,577 practitioners trained through technical assistance, plus 4,274 users engaged through the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness’ Homelessness Learning Hub.

Over 35,000 resources downloaded and 50,000+ website visitors.

Making the Shift Annual Youth Homelessness Prevention Awards

MtS’ Annual Youth Homelessness Prevention Awards celebrate and promote innovative local practices. To date, eight communities received awards, along with eight honourable mentions, for their creative approaches to preventing youth homelessness. The annual Awards will continue thanks to the generous support of Canada Life Assurance Co.

Training the Next Generation

A cornerstone of Making the Shift was its investment in 1,539 Highly Qualified Personnel:

  • 1,195 People with lived experience
  • 127 Research personnel
  • 127 Undergraduate students
  • 73 Master’s students
  • 66 Postdoctoral fellows & PhDs

We also awarded $60,000 in scholarships and $40,000 in conference bursaries for Indigenous individuals, as well as people with lived experience of youth homelessness.

Amplifying Voices, Shaping Narratives

MtS’ Scholars with Lived Experience (LivEx) Network was a national community and incubator dedicated to supporting scholars at any stage of their academic journey who have experienced youth homelessness. The Network’s goal was to empower members to expand their professional networks, develop leadership skills, and engage in peer mentorship within a supportive academic environment. LivEx Network member voices were woven into the ongoing governance and operations of MtS, helping to elevate the perspectives of lived experience in all of our work.

The legacy of Making the Shift lives on through A Way Home Canada and the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, which will continue to share knowledge, provide training and technical support, build international partnerships, and conduct research to help scale up prevention efforts for youth homelessness.