No child grows up with dreams of being homeless. Alone. Scared.
Without food, shelter or money. Without even the comforting hug of
a friend.
Yet, for the more than 550 youth who seek our help every year, homelessness
seems better than life at home. The majority are escaping physical,
sexual and emotional abuse at home.
Our Place Peel is a registered non-profit agency providing shelter,
support and hope for homeless and disadvantaged youth aged 16 - 21
in the Region of Peel. Through our emergency shelter, resource room and community outreach services, we empower
youth to take control of their lives, break harmful patterns, and
make a healthy, new start.
Our Place Peel helps kids stay in their own community, close to
school, jobs, and any family or peer support they have. As the only
homeless shelter for youth in Peel, we strive to support as many
youth as possible, yet last year we turned away more than 500 kids
due to lack of space.
At Our Place Peel, we’re investing in
the future of our community and country by providing homeless and
disadvantaged youth the confidence and skills to obtain housing,
overcome problems of their past and become financially independent.
Our Place Peel is a United Way Peel Region funded agency.
our history
In 1985, Our Place Peel opened a 6 bed
residential program in Brampton for youth who were homeless, without
adequate supervision, or living in an unacceptable home environment.
This was in response to the community-identified need for services
aimed at helping youth at risk of homelessness.
In 1989, Our Place Peel opened a 14 bed
emergency shelter in Mississauga to respond to the growing number
of homeless youth in Peel. The goal of the emergency shelter and
residential program was to keep youth in their own community, close
to family, friends, educational supports, and opportunities for
employment.
In 2007, we launched the H.Y.P.E. Project (Helping
Youth Prepare Effectively), aimed at helping youth obtain the essential
skills they need to re-enter the education system, find employment,
complete necessary volunteer hours, and successfully live independently.
Participants in the program have access to all the services of Our
Place Peel, plus connections to other community resources in Peel.
In 2001,
we opened the doors to the community with our Resource Room, located
in the Emergency Shelter in Mississauga. Here, youth aged 16 to
21 can attend free workshops on budgeting, resumé and cover
letter writing, interview preparation, employment standards, finding
accommodation, and landlord and tenant issues. We also provide
youth with access to a computer, Internet, photocopier, fax, and
telephone to assist with job or housing searches and provide information
on a variety of other issues, community resources and agencies.
In 2006, we implemented our Outreach Initiative:
Bridging the Gap between Shelter and Community. With the assistance
of our Youth Support Coordinator, we have been able to educate many more homeless
and at-risk youth in our community about the services and support
we offer. Our Youth Support Coordinator has also been instrumental in raising
awareness about youth homelessness in Peel and promoting relationships
with youth-serving agencies in the community.
In
spring 2010, Our Place Peel’s Board of Directors made the difficult
decision to close the residential program in Brampton effective June
30, 2010. The Board wishes to thank all the staff and students who have
dedicated themselves to providing a comfortable, caring and home like
environment for so many youth over the past 25 years. Special thanks to
all the donors, supporters and funders who have contributed to its
operation. In particular, the support of the Ministry of Community
Social Services – Ministry of Children & Youth Services, Central
West Region, and its dedicated staff team is greatly appreciated.
Our Place Peel continues to be the only emergency
shelter in Peel for youth aged 16 to 21 years. As Peel is one of
the fastest growing areas in the province, it’s difficult
to determine the number of youth who are in need of our services.
Since opening the doors of our emergency youth shelter, over 4,000
youth have been provided with housing. Unfortunately, we frequently
turn youth away because the beds are full.
how you can help
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our voices
Anonymous Youth Age 18
My name is XXXXX, a graduated student
of a Brampton high school. I will be attending college starting
this fall. Meanwhile I
stay at Our Place Peel. During my stay here I’ve learned
more than you can imagine. Our Place Peel has given me many
opportunities as a young adult in the community of Brampton.
Since I have been at Our Place Peel I've been able to
have a stable life which I wasn't given when I was younger.
There are so many things that Our Place Peel provides for young
adults who are headed down the wrong path. Yes, at first it
was like that for me, because I thought, “Oh! These people
don’t really care
about me they’re just there to do their job”. But,
I was wrong. I could actually come sit down and talk to the
staff here at Our Place Peel about the problems and situations
that I’m
going through in life and they would hear me out all the way
and give me excellent advice which I wasn’t able to get
from my own parents. Although young adults and teenagers would
love to go out on their own because they think life is so much
better it wouldn’t
be 'cause, no matter what you think, you still need that
extra support and that's why I thank Our Place Peel.
Without my stay here, I don't know where I would be if
it wasn't for
the staff and the residents that are here. So for all those
young people who are planning to move out on their own, come
to Our Place Peel first. To help prepare yourself for the real
world because, to be honest with you, it isn't easy!
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our leadership
Board of Directors
Caroline Brereton President A
highly experienced senior healthcare executive with 15 years of
leadership experience, Caroline Brereton became Chief Executive Officer
of the Mississauga Halton CCAC in May 2010. Carolina is known for
visionary leadership and transformation of organizations and teams.
Prior
to coming to the CCAC Caroline was a Senior Healthcare Consultant,
responsible for business development and strategic planning for the
Canadian healthcare division of the Leading Edge Group, an
international company focussed on lean methodologies in healthcare.
Caroline
worked with Trillium Health Centre for more than a decade, holding
various senior level positions, which culminated with her tenure as
Vice President, People, Corporate & Clinical Support Services, a
portfolio that managed 850 staff in corporate services, clinical
support services and human resources functions.
Caroline
has held positions on numerous boards. She has led provincial strategy
development for the Ontario Hospital Association. She is also a member
of the Canadian College of Health Services Executives
Caroline
and her family have lived in Peel Region for many years. She is keenly
interested in volunteering her time to a local organization that
impacts the youth in the community in which she lives. We are very
excited to have Caroline on our Board of Directors; her wealth of
experience will be beneficial to us moving forward.
Seema Sharma Vice President
Ingrid Obendorf Treasurer Ingrid
Obendorf is a Chartered Public Accountant and is a member of the
Chartered Professional Accountants of Ontario. She has over 7 years of
public accounting experience with Grant Thornton serving small and
large, private and public clients and has significant experience in
accounting standards and financial reporting.
Ingrid
lives in Mississauga with her husband and two dogs. She is passionate
about making Peel a better place to grow up in and is looking forward
to contribute her knowledge and time to this service in the region.
We
are fortunate to have Ingrid join our Board; her passion to help with
in the community will be a great benefit to Our Place Peel.
Donna Gallant Secretary
Christopher Dickson Director
Susan deRyk Director
David Scott Director Iqbal Ali Director Robert Ip Director Back to Top
our
leadership
Christy Upshall Executive Director
Christy Upshall has been a part of the
Our Place Peel team for more than 10 years. As Executive Director,
Christy oversees all aspects of the organization, including the
residential programs and any new programs. She is responsible for
fundraising, fiscal responsibility and providing leadership support
to the management team. Christy also ensures that the agency’s
goals, values and mission are being met and leads the agency into
further expansion.
After completing her BA from the University
of Western Ontario and her Diploma in Child and Youth Work from
Humber College, Christy worked at YSAP (Youth Substance Abuse Program),
where she gained in-depth experience with youth addictions. While
at YSAP, Christy decided to pursue a career working for a non-profit
organization which supported youth. She chose Our Place Peel because
it offers a one of a kind program in the Region of Peel, helping
empower youth and putting the youths’ needs first and foremost.
Christy finds it very rewarding to see youth
build the confidence to meet and exceed the goals they set for
themselves and to look into the future with a positive outlook. “OPP is extremely
important for the community as we are the only emergency shelter
for homeless youth within the Region of Peel,” says Christy. “The
Region has grown over the years and the need to support youth who
are in need of shelter or who are at-risk is more important than
ever. We have to recognize that youth are not just leaders of tomorrow
but also of today and, at the end of the day, our young people will
be the ones who will shape the future.”
She also appreciates the support the organization
receives from the community. “I am always amazed at the commitment
of the many volunteers who work endless hours to support the work
that we do with in the community. Without volunteers, our work
would suffer as we rely on them to support the youth, to guide
the agency and to raise funds to ensure that Our Place Peel can
thrive. Volunteers give up their free time to help make the community
a better place.”
There are a variety of different reasons why
young people end up homeless, yet the need for services and programs
to assist these young people remain the same. With Christy’s
passionate leadership, Our Place Peel will continue to support these
youth so they can have a better future.
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