The annual Camp Out to End Youth Homelessness is set to be held December 13th and Kamloops City Council has proclaimed the week of December 9th to the 15th as Camp Out to End Youth Homelessness week.

Executive Director of A Way Home Kamloops Catherine McParlund says last year 136 youth said they were without a home in Kamloops which demonstrates how severe of an issue it is. “We know that these young people may not have had prior experience of living independently. Maybe they’re fleeing environments where they’ve been abused or experienced significant trauma and they need the housing options and those supports that recreate family privilege for some of those kids that may have none.” She says that count doesn’t grasp the entire number of homeless youth in the community with a number dealing with incredibly severe situations. “And a lot of young girls experience something that we’ve coined as the term survival rape. And this is where young people are having to trade sexual favours in order to have a roof over their head. So definitely youth homelessness is a hidden issue and one of the key purposes of the camp out is raising awareness.”

The Camp Out to End Youth Homelessness will look to raise 50 thousand dollars for the wrap force. Past President of the Aurora Rotary Club Aaron Krauser says it’s a program that is very unique and invaluable to the Kamloops community. “It’s absolutely genius. If you imagine a young person walking into any of those 15 organization, a first nations person, a young woman, a young person who just moved here from out of town who’s a male, everybody has different needs.” He says those 15 organizations have the ability to help address the individual needs that people on the street may be facing.

You can learn more about the event or sign up to be a part of it here.