Youth homelessness data collaboration | PolicyWise research

Hands working through information together in a support-service setting — THE QUESTION BEHIND THE DATA IS A HUMAN ONE.

FOCUS

Youth homelessness
& prevention

APPROACH

Research & community
data collaboration

CONTEXT

British Columbia
& Calgary, Alberta

EXPLORE

Reports & learning

01 / THE CHALLENGE

A young person’s story
doesn’t stop at
an organization’s door.

Young people experiencing homelessness can move between many services. When those services work separately, the same story and information may be requested again and again.

PolicyWise’s project explores how a better understanding of service pathways, alongside responsible collaboration, can support more connected care and earlier opportunities to help.

02 / TWO CONNECTED LINES OF INQUIRY

Understand
the pathways.

Study patterns in childhood service use in British Columbia to learn more about the experiences associated with youth homelessness.

Look across systems to understand where prevention efforts could begin earlier.

Learn through
collaboration.

Design and test a data collaboration pilot with community agencies in Calgary.

Explore the practical conditions for responsible information sharing and more coordinated access to support.

BEHIND THE DATA-SHARING REPORT

Look widely.
Listen closely.

An environmental scan and interviews explored how organizations approach collaborative data use. These are emerging insights from a small sample, shaped by the contexts of the people involved.

Read the methods & findings

Qualifying organizational examples reviewed: 37
Interviews with people doing the work: 9
Representatives who took part in interviews: 13

A young person in a winter hat viewed from behind in an outdoor setting

03 / RESPONSIBLE COLLABORATION

Connection
takes care.

The project’s data-sharing report identifies five considerations for organizations beginning this work.

Be clear about purpose and intention.
Identify and address risk early.
Keep the person at the centre.
Understand the capacity available.
Plan for work that can be sustained.

These are starting points for a conversation shaped by each community’s context.

INSIDE THE CALGARY PILOT

Start with people.
Build the connection.

PolicyWise, Trellis Society, and The Alex explored better service access together. The March 2026 community report follows the collaboration from relationships to practical changes.

01
Understand each other.
Map referrals, consent, and information systems. Build trust before choosing solutions.
02
Find the friction.
Use a client journey map and frontline perspectives to identify barriers and priorities.
03
Connect the work.
Bring staff together through program visits and shared learning to explore warmer handoffs.

WHERE THE PILOT TOOK SHAPE

Two programs.
A shared school community.

All in for YouthTrellis Society

Youth Health BusThe Alex

What the partners reported: stronger working relationships, shared program understanding, and clearer referral pathways. These are qualitative findings about how the partners worked together.

Read the community report

04 / TAKE THE LEARNING FURTHER

PUBLISHED PROJECT RESOURCES