The Safe Coach program ran by the Resource Centre at Family Community Support Services (FCSS) needs coaches to help with youth.

Jason Garagan, Youth and Family Support Worker, says any community member can become a coach if they are passionate about supporting youth and family. Applicants need to go through a thorough screening process to ensure they are a good fit for the program and able to provide a safe and stable home for youth in need.

"Some of theses youths the needs vary greatly depending on their circumstances and their history, so ensuring that the right fits are found is really important to increase the chances of successfully transitioning that youth to adulthood or giving them the right tools to connect with their family and stay connected with their family."

Garagan adds they take time to answer questions that host homes may have surrounding their safety.

"The safe coach program works diligently at ensuring the safety of youth and on top of that ensuring the safety of the host homes as well. We look to make sure the youth is somewhat stable before they go into the host home whether that is being connected with some mental health support or getting some physical health things worked out and getting connected with greater support in the community."

Extreme transparency is required by all parties for it to be successful.

It is tough to pinpoint exact numbers of youth in need as it varies often, shares Garagan, not all youth are candidates for the safe coach program it depends on their situation. Unfortunately in some cases by the time Garagan sees some of the youth, they have been in need for a couple years already.

"Research shows that youth typically start to couch surf at 13/14 years old, by the time they come to me and they are ready to access the safe coach program these youth have been couch surfing for years."

Unresolved chronic family conflict, is at the root of why youth choose to leave in the first place, safe coach provides an opportunity for family situations to heal and ideally stay connected.

"We have had a lot of success reconnecting youth to their parents, sometimes it takes time. The idea is to keep the door open with the biological family for when the youth and family are ready to move things to the next level and reconnect and get into some more family work, the objective isn't necessarily to get that kid back home as soon as possible it is to keep the door of communication open and do some work that the family can communicate with each other a little better so their relationship down the road is still intact."

While there in not an emergent need at present time, the success of the program is dependent on the recruitment and retention of host families.

If you are interested in becoming a safe coach host, contact Garagan at jason.garagan@cochrane.ca