The challenge: Most neurodiverse young adults—in their late 20s, 30s, even 40s—are still living at home with their aging parents, with no opportunity for training to live elsewhere and limited housing options available.
Government-run group homes are the primary option, and the waitlist is more than a decade. Because the province of Quebec triages applicants, housing is offered to young adults when they are in crisis (such as when parents die), and many have never lived outside the family home.
The solution: Alink is working with public and private partners to create alternatives to group homes–housing options that are
• inclusive, providing opportunities to live within, not apart from, the community
• affordable, accessible, supportive
• financially sustainable
and that can serve as a model for other housing initiatives throughout the province.
The model envisions clusters, or pods, of rental units within social housing buildings open to everyone, with support on site 24/7 and a preparatory lifeskills training program to help ensure success.