Endaayaang: the importance of “Indigenizing” housing first for youth

This article explores Endaayaang, which means a safe place where the heart and spirit feel at home, an Indigenous Housing First for Youth programme, located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The programme is informed by Elders, Traditional Knowledge Holders, Indigenous youth and Indigenous frontline workers and is grounded in Indigenous knowledges and worldviews. The programme helps unhoused Indigenous youth secure, safe and affordable housing, without preconditions. A unique aspect of this programme is creating opportunities for Indigenous youth to (re)connect to their Indigenous identity and culture. This includes providing access to Elders, ceremony and Indigenous teachings to help them find their way home. This research highlights the integral role of helping Indigenous youth (re)connect with their Indigenous identity and the importance of integrating ceremony, and Indigenous principles into Indigenous Housing First for youth programming. We also present an argument about the importance of diversifying and indigenizing Housing First for Youth in Canada to meet the specific needs of Indigenous and other marginalized and racialized populations accessing programming.