FRIENDLY ADVICE AND FINAL TIPS

FROM YOUR FELLOW BSEC STUDENTS

1. DON’T STEAL FROM OTHER HOMELESS YOUTH

2. DON’T GOSSIP – DON’T SNITCH – DON’T SPREAD

HEARSAY – WHAT’S SAID ON THE STREET STAYS THERE

3. GIVE RESPECT & SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE

4. DON’T BE A SNOOP

5. FRIENDS ARE YOUR MOST IMPORTANT RESOURCE –

DON’T LOSE THEM

6. FIND A GROUP TO BELONG TO AND FOR SUPPORT

7. TALK TO OTHER PEOPLE IN SHELTERS FOR THEIR IDEAS

R U S T I C N A T U R E E L E M E N T S

Do you think important info is missing? Should the info in

this guide be updated or removed?

Take what you want from this guide and create your own.

Share your knowledge with others!

Boyle street education centre is a school for youth ages 14 – 19.

BSEC has on-going enrollment throughout the school year. If you

are interested in attending the school pick up a registration form

at the front desk or download the form from www.bsec.ab.ca

Boyle street education centre (bsec): 10312-105 ST, Edmonton, ab

Bsec survival guide:

To living on the streets of

Edmonton

10

So it got too crazy and chaotic at

home and YOU had to leave...

YOU are young, alone and not sure

what to do…

Inside this guide are some ideas and

tips from youth at boyle street

education centre (BSEC) who have

been where you are!

housing

•pg 2-4

•pg 5/6 maps

food

•pg 7-8

clothing

•pg 9

showering

•pg 9

You will find information on:

bsec TIP # 1: Use libraries for free internet and

Wi-Fi

Harm reduction, sexual health & treatment

programs

While living on the streets you may make a decision that

results in a risky outcome. Always use a harm reduction

approach and take care of your body as best as you can.

Needle exchanges: get clean needles

Old strathcona youth society: 10325-83 Ave.// PH: 780-496-5947

Boyle McCauley Health Centre: 10628 - 96 St //Ph: 422-7333 (ext. 226) – part of street works

Boyle Street Community Services: 10116-105 Ave // PH: 424-4106 (ext. 210)- part of street works

Call street works for more locations: 780-424-4106 Or visit www.streetworks.ca

OR wave DOWN THE VAN IF YOU SEE IT

Sexual health: sti testing and INFO ON birth control Boyle street education centre (BSEC): every Thursday “the nurses are in the building”

STD CLINIC: 1111 JASPER AVE - THEY CAN TEXT YOU YOUR RESULTS!

Pride centre of Edmonton: 10608 105 Ave (testing happens the last Wednesday of the month)

BIRTH CONTROL CENTRE:8th floor, 10030 107St (PROVIDE FREE BIRTH CONTROL PILLS!)

NEED HELP WITH ADDICTIONS? STOP BY THE student SERVICES WING (SECOND FLOOR) AT BSEC FOR HELP WITH a treatment plan to GET CEAN AND SOBER

Old strathcona youth society: has addictions counsellors

Street works: offers info on a variety of treatment programs that will fit your situation and what you are ready for

9 2

CLOTHING AND CLEANLINESS

Do you

need more

clothes?

These

agencies

can help

you

• Y.E.S.S – ARMOURY resource centre

(10310-85 Ave.)

• Y.E.S.S -NEXUS PROGRAM

• NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE (7221-104 St

NW)

• iHuman (9635 102A. Ave)

• NOVA House (10010 105 St)

• BisselL CENTRE (10527 – 96ST)

When you need to wash your

clothes go to:

Bsec tip#6: when you need a shower you can

buy a “shower pass” at the ymca or go to

the armoury Resource Centre (Y.E.S.S)

Or apply to the city of Edmonton’s leisure access program. once you have your pass you get free entry into the city’s recreation centres. You can work out, swim, and take a shower. Go to any recreation Centre for a form and then mail it to: Leisure Access Program 14th Floor, CN Tower PO Box 2359

Finding Shelter If you are 16 or older:

Shelters

Youth Empowerment & Support Services (Y.E.S.S): Emergency YOUTH SHELTER 9310-82 Ave./780.468.7070 Armoury resource Centre: 10310-85 Ave./780.468.7186 (EXT 304)

John Howard Society – NOVA HOUSE:

#401—10010-105 St./ 780-477-0104 Hope Mission emergency Shelter:

9908-106 Ave. / 780-422-2018

Agencies that can help you find shelter

Office of Child and Youth Advocate:

#600-9925-109 St./ 780-422-6056

John Howard Society—REE START:

#401—10010-105 St./ 780-428-7590

If you are under 16: Support agencies (like the ones listed above) are supposed to contact social services if you are under 16. And they may just send you back home... think of a way to avoid this

before you arrive

bsec tip #2: When you need transportation ask

for rides from the bus driver to a shelter

Day-time drop in centre Old Strathcona Youth Society:

10325-83 Ave./ 780-496-5947 *This is NOT an overnight shelter*

3 8

Couch Surfing 101

If you are too young for a shelter OR you can’t get

help from agencies try crashing at a friend’s place!

Increase your chance of staying long term OR being able

to return by making yourself EASY to live with:

Help with CHORES!

Do the dishes and clean up after yourself

Make friends with the adult in the home (IF IT FEELS SAFE)

negotiate

Be honest from the start

talk about how long you plan on staying.

Talk about AND ASK how long you CAN stay

STAY AHEAD

Setup your next spot BEFORE things fall apart and you

need to leave

RECYCLE

have a list of a few places you can stay, go back to the

first place after you have stayed at a few other

places

FOOD FOR $5.00 SUBS AND SANDWICHES

-Subway:“SuboftheDay”($3.99)

-NhonHoaORVanLoc($5.00)

-SwissDonair:“KidsSize”Donair(nocheese)ORSmallFalafel“($5.00)

-MaryBrowns“BigMaryMonday’s” ($3.99sandwiches)

-SunbakePitaBakery(Northside)“PitaPizza”($5.00)

PIZZA: $5- $10

-LittleCaesarsHOT-N-READYPizza

-Pizza73’sWalk-inSpecial

-BusterPizza:$5SidesandPasta

-PizzaHut:$10Pizza(onlinedealonly)

RESTAURANTS

-GabbanaRestaurant:lunchitemsfor$10orless(11223JasperAve)

-Commodore:$5Sandwiches/breakfast(10712JasperAve)

-MyEmpanadas(1063151Ave)

bsec TIP #4: At any fast food restaurant 2 JUNIOURS is

better than one sandwich or burger

GROCERY STORES

-BuyDeliMeatsorCheeses:Sausagelink,200gramsofmeat,

singleservingofcheese...etc.

-BuyMioorDrinkCrystals

-InstantNoodles(thengotoTimHortonstogetahotwater!)

-Lookatthe“dayold”rack

DOLLARARMA

-Sellspeanuts,spreads,cannedfish,etc.

FAST FOOD

-McDonald’s-“McDouble”islikeaBigMacbutCHEAPER

-KFC:“SnackBoxes”OR$5.00“Fill-ups”(useanONLINECOUPON)

-A&W“ChickenBuddyBurger”($2.50ORAWCoupon.ca)

-BurgerKing:10nuggets($1.99)OR2ChickenSandwiches($5.00)

-TacoBell“TacoBox”($5.00)

-Wendy’s:Anythingonthe“ValueMenu”

BSEC TIP# 5: stock up on condiments from fast food places

7 4

Status photo

scheckin tagfriends

Couchsurfbypostingonfacebook-getyourfriendstoshare!

IfyoufindaplacethiswayALWAYS:

1) Tellyourfriendswhereyouaregoing2) Trytogetotherpeople’sopinionsfortheplace

youaregoing3) Bepublic–shareorcheckintowhereyouare

going4) Checkouttheneighbourhood-LEAVEifit

doesn’tfeelsafe!TrustyourinsHncts.

Running out of places to stay? Find shelter at:

Bus shelters

LRT Stations

Construction sites – under tarps

FINDING FOOD Pan Handling, Busk, Ask for Food

Ideas:

go near a restaurant or stores to ask

people going in or coming out for food

ask for coupons / vouchers

Warnings:

DO NOT get into anyone’s vehicle!!

Be prepared to deal with a lot of

stereotypes

Avoid areas where other homeless people

are asking for money

Avoid Commerce Place

Community centres that provide free meals:

Mustard seed: evening meal Monday to Saturday (10635 96

Street/ ph:780-426-5600)

Hope mission: 3 meals Monday to Friday & 2 meals Saturday

and Sunday (9908 106 Ave / ph: 780-422-2018)

For more drop-in centres call 211

Bsec TIP #3: Dumpster Diving! look in dumpsters

behind GROCERY STORES. They throw away A LOT

of food.

Hope mission: shelter 9908-106 ave

Bus routes: 3,9,12,134, 151,822

-Northbound: get off at 101 st and

105a ave

-Southbound: get off at 101 st and

107 Ave

closest lrt station: grant macewan

(metro line)

lrt stations close by: corona stn &

bay/enterprise stn

Office of child and youth advocate: #600 9925-109st

Bus route from lrt university

station: 4,7,57,94

– get off at 104 st and 82 ave (whyte ave)

other bus routes: 52 -northbound: get off at 104 st and 82 ave -southbound: get off at 104 st and 84 ave

old strathcona youth society : 10325- 83 ave

y.e.s.s (shelter): 9310-82 ave Bus route from lrt university

station: 4, 94, 323 – get off at 93 st and 82 ave

Bus route from capilano mall: 4, 94 – get off at 93 st and 82 ave

Other bus routes: 151

-southbound get off at 91 st and

83 ave)

Lrt stations close by: grandin stn &

corona stn

John howard society: #401 – 10010 – 105 st

Hope mission: shelter 9908-106 ave

Bus routes: 3,9,12,134, 151,822

-Northbound: get off at 101 st and 105A

ave

-Southbound: get off at 101 st and 107

Ave

closest lrt station: grant macewan

(metro line)

Maps to agencies, shelters, & drop-in centres

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