Sleeping outside gives Richmond youth insight into homelessness

Sleeping outside gives Richmond youth insight into homelessness

By Valerie Leung

A group of Richmond young people got a small taste of what’s it’s like to sleep rough outside.

During an initiative led by Richmond secondary students, the young people had a “sleepout” where they gathered online together and slept outdoors near their homes, in backyards or on patios, to simulate being homeless.

Steveston-London’s Naomi Ching and J.N. Burnett’s Megan Wu co-founded Youth Network Society (YNS), a Richmond-based youth non-profit, to give young people the opportunity to volunteer and make a difference in their neighbourhoods.

YNS recently launched a “five days for homeless” initiative where youth gathered together to learn about homelessness and common myths as well as to learn how it feels to be unhoused. The group also packed and distributed care packages to shelters.

“Megan and I wanted more youth like us to feel more connected with our local community and through this initiative, not only can we tackle misconceptions about the homeless, we can also better understand people’s situations and listen to their stories,” said Ching.

“Coming out of this pandemic, we really need our communities to work together in order to progress in the future.”

Ching told the Richmond News the initiative is only a small step in spreading awareness about a bigger homeless problem in Metro Vancouver.

“There isn’t enough housing or shelters for all the homeless people. Just take a look at downtown Vancouver,” she said.

“There are only so many beds in the shelters … and that isn’t even close to being enough for the entire population of those who are homeless.”

During the five-day awareness initiative, the group distributed care packages to those in need, primarily people on the streets, with the help of Feed Good Foundation, another Richmond youth non-profit, and local businesses.

The group handed out more than 300 sandwiches, bun and breads, over 580 snack and food items, as well as many hygiene packages and daily necessity items to those in need at the Richmond Raincity Housing, Covenant House B.C. and on Seymour Street in Vancouver.

“It’s a big problem and we need to discuss more on how we can progress with helping the homeless community in Metro Vancouver,” Ching said.

The two Richmond students have a motto when it comes to making a difference in the community: “If we want someone to help us, we have to give back.”