Youth are one of the fastest growing segments of the homeless population. Although there has been much research on how youth become homeless and survive on the streets, we know very little about their pathways off the street and the many challenges that present during this process. This book relates the lived experiences of homeless youth as they negotiate the individual, sociocultural, and economic tensions of transitioning out of homeless and street contexts and cultures. Through interviews the authors gained privileged entry into the lives of youth in Toronto and Halifax over a year-long period. Through rich qualitative prose, quantitative elaboration, and comic-book narratives, participants spoke of courage, fortitude, strength, adversity, and at times, simple bad luck. Ultimately this became a story of fragility, complexity, living "on the edge," and the (re)-building of identity.

Giving prominence to the voices of young people themselves, this study explores their attempts to exit street life--and looks at the supports and barriers that help or hinder them in this process. Youth between 16 and 24 are considered the fastest growing segment of the homeless population in Canada. While much has been written about street engagement and street culture, little attention has been paid to how youth move away from the street. From shelters and programs to mental health and drug use, this book examines the services that are available--and those that should be available--to help street youth find housing, income, and the strength needed to start a new life.