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One of the pencil sketches in Leaving the Streets.

Pencil sketches of street life show its harshness: the loneliness of soliciting and the monotony of begging.

Just hold that thought and turn the page of Leaving the Streets by Jeff Karabanow, Alexa Carson, Phillip Clement and Katie Crane.

Next the artist reflects a street youth鈥檚 musical talent, playing guitar while panhandling. Expressive poetry reveals the emotional reactions of street youth to their world.

It鈥檚 a powerful tribute to the creativity resident in a population that is often overlooked. It鈥檚 the street seen through the eyes of the youth who live there, rather than impressions imposed by others who are removed from this day-to-day reality.

鈥淭he notion of creativity equals survival. This is how to build resilience and coping and it鈥檚 how we propel ourselves to different places,鈥� says Dr. Karabanow, professor with 鲍鱼tv鈥檚 School of Social Work.

Leaving the Streets (Fernwood Publishing) is the result of a participatory, community-based project covering six regions across the country. Research assistants worked on the streets interviewing youth who were in various stages of exiting street life. Service providers were consulted about their direct observations.

鈥淲e want to understand the issues and the role of civil society in this process of exiting because there are difficult layers,鈥� says Dr. Karabanow. 鈥淭o say 鈥榞ood-bye鈥� to support systems that held your hand鈥攖hrough overdoses, being kicked out of places, after breakups, while panning鈥攖hat builds tight bonds.鈥�

At the heart of a major transition is a profound act of imagination. That鈥檚 the first step to moving away from street life. It鈥檚 necessary to visualize a different identity, being in a different place spatially and emotionally.

Dr. Karabanow describes existing mainstream systems as a patchwork offering services such as detox, group counseling, housing issues or help with leases and landlords.聽

Jeff Karabanow is a professor of social work at 鲍鱼tv. (Danny Abriel Photo)

Places like the Out of the Cold Emergency Shelter, which opened for the winter season this week in Halifax, focus on a harm reduction model and offer alternatives when other traditional shelters are not able to serve the street population. While Dr. Karabanow believes in this undertaking, he also see it as a band-aid solution.

鈥淭he emergency system plays a role, it is the first venue to go to be safe. It is an immediate resort and often when other organizations are full. But now, even the Out of the Cold shelter is often full,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e need to have a better approach.鈥�

In French, there鈥檚 a notion of 鈥榚ntourre鈥� which roughly translates as easing into a new existence by enwrapping and supporting.

Mental health issues and addictions are serious concerns for street youth. While detox programs are available, it is unusual to gain access at the moment that someone realizes they鈥檙e ready. Unfortunately, they鈥檒l end up staying on the streets for another week or month.

The research found that having a supportive friend during this process is enormously helpful and, in fact, life changing.

鈥淚f you have someone dedicated to helping you, who will let you make mistakes, who will hold your hand until you get into a seven or 12-day detox program, and who will be there when you walk out of the program saying 鈥榳hat am I going to do now? it makes a difference,鈥� he says.

By the time someone is accepted as a resident at Halifax鈥檚 Phoenix House, or similar counterparts across the country, it鈥檚 really the beginning of another phase. With greater stability and privacy, there鈥檚 more time to think about next steps. There鈥檚 the opportunity to build new routines. Hopefully, with a few weeks under the same roof, supportive new friendships will form. Social workers are also available at transition homes.

鈥淣ow the concept becomes acting as an advocate or a broker on behalf of a young person who is moving into a new environment,鈥� he says.

The need is to learn skills, including how to pay bills, find second-hand furniture, reconnect with relatives or friends, return to school or find some work.

鈥淎ll these tasks are really hard. You don鈥檛 do it for them, you鈥檙e facilitating. It鈥檚 the same role that a good family provides, sharing your fears, helping you to fill out forms, making a doctor鈥檚 appointment, all those basic skills.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to fit into new places,鈥� he says. 鈥淎ll the organizations we work with are phenomenal surrogate families.鈥�

What does success look like? For a young person, success is moving away from the street culture, lining up stable housing, getting started with a training program or finding work, and achieving聽 spiritual and emotional growth.

While it is less often discussed, society benefits too. 鈥淭he economic benefits are evident, a healthier population doesn鈥檛 overwhelm services,鈥� he says.

Roads go on and on Nothing endures but change One must desire something to be alive Change your thoughts and change your world So much has changed. I have changed so much, I didn鈥檛 even notice. It happened so slowly, so softly. Everything just flowed despite the obstacles. But I always make it! I don鈥檛 want to settle for nothing that I know isn鈥檛 the best. I saw Joe (whom) I met when I was seventeen when I lived on the street, (and) I had nothing but good to tell him. I am starting to appreciate and respect my life, because I have worked very hard for it. My success can belong to no one else. Dream to believe. * Pixie is a pseudonym used in Leaving the Streets for a member of the research team and a former street youth. Her commentaries and poems are used to illuminate the study.