Out of the Rain Youth Shelter Victoria

What is Out of the Rain?

The Out of the Rain Youth Night Shelter is a community capacity building project, working to reduce the risk faced by homeless youth by providing shelter during the coldest months of the year. A coalition of community agencies, faith- based organizations, businesses, and individual volunteers work together to provide the physical space, professional support and food for the operation of the shelter. The shelter rotates among host sites in the community in an effort to maximize community resources to meet the needs of homeless youth. Two trained youth workers staff the shelter each night. In addition to tending to the immediate needs of the youth and lending a friendly ear, these youth workers also aim to empower youth by providing support and referrals to community based programs. Out of the Rain volunteers provide support to shelter staff as a shelter helper or donate a cooked hot meal as a volunteer cook.

When is Out of the Rain open?

Out of Rain Youth Night Shelter is available October 15 until April 15. The shelter open each night from 9 pm and closes at 8am with thirty spaces for youth aged 15-25.

How did the Out of the Rain Youth Night Shelter begin?

In 1997, a group of downtown outreach workers, frustrated at the lack of sheltering services for street youth in Victoria, were determined to find a place for Victoria’s street youth to sleep at night. These workers, in collaboration with a group of youth, began asking around downtown Victoria for places willing to open their doors to house the youth. A coalition of community and faith-based organizations was formed and the Out of the Rain Youth Shelter was born. At their inception the purpose was simple: to provide a warm, safe place to sleep for homeless youth throughout the coldest months of the year. The doors opened in the winter of 1998 for six months. We have been open every winter season since.

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