About SHYM

Supportive Housing for Young Mothers (SHYM) began in January 2002 when a group of concerned community members met to address the problems that young, single mothers face when trying to make a safe and suitable home for themselves and their child(ren). Some of us were once young mothers, and some of us worked with young mothers.

We knew a lot of young mothers and their children who had lived in unsafe places, who had gone without food or electricity or heat, and who had been abused, beaten up, or taken advantage of. We knew girls and women who had been homeless - couch surfing, living in a shelter, or staying in a place where they weren't safe or weren't wanted. We knew a lot of people who were afraid to be in an apartment by themselves, or afraid to be alone with a brand new baby - but they had no choice. We knew there had to be a way to make this easier, safer, and less stressful!

Now, as of October 2007, our dream has become a reality.

In the fall of 2007, we completed renovations on our building and opened our doors to young families. We are so thankful to the many funders, supporters, and partners who have helped make this dream possible. And we salute all of the young mothers who have struggled, and who continue to struggle, to do what is best for their children in very difficult circumstances.

SHYM is a non-profit organization. We started as an informal working group with a big dream. In 2003, that group became the Board of Directors of the Society for Supportive Housing for Young Mothers. SHYM is a registered charity and can provide tax receipts for donations.

How to reach us: Contact Us

Keep reading to learn more about SHYM...

Our Mission

Supportive Housing for Young Mothers (SHYM) helps young moms and their children develop the skills they need to build strong families in a safe, encouraging environment.

Who we serve

Our priority is young women, ages 16 to 21, who are pregnant or parenting, and who have no safe place to live.

Our Program

The SHYM program is housed in one building, a former elementary school in Woodside (341 Pleasant Street).  It is staffed by a Family Support Worker and a Program Co-ordinator, a part time child care provider and live in staff. Live-in support staff are on duty weekends and evenings. Individual support is provided on an as-needed basis. We also help young mothers to make use of other services in the community, and to keep any ties that you already have with family, friends, teachers, counselors, etc, who are supportive of you.

Group programming, aimed at health promotion, independent living/household management skills, parenting skills, and building knowledge in the areas of child development, woman abuse, healthy relationships, self-advocacy, poverty, and racism.

Support, education, referrals, and advocacy will be provided to assist tenants in returning to school and/or work and pursuing their goals.

Tenants are able to live in the SHYM program for up to 24 months, with assistance provided for women preparing to graduate from SHYM.

Why SHYM exists

There are just under 200 births to women 19 and under in the HRM each year (about 5% of all births), and about 700 births to women 20 to 24. There are no exact numbers regarding the group that SHYM is focusing on  namely, young women who do not have adequate family or partner support. However, health and social agencies in Metro work with many young mothers, and see a great need for this type of housing program. Teenage single mothers, as a group, face many challenges in finding a safe, affordable place to live. These include:

1. Rental rates that are often beyond what a young woman can afford. Rents in safe and appealing neighbourhoods are especially prohibitive.
2. Reports of discrimination in rental housing are common. Many young women are turned away because of their age, family status, source of income or level of income, and in some cases, their race or culture.
3. Women under age 19 must find a co-signer for a lease. Young women who do not have supportive family members often cannot find a co-signer.
4. Many young women do not have a reference from a previous landlord because they have not rented independently before. Others have rented before, but have unpaid bills that give them a bad credit rating.
5. Since legislative changes were made in Nova Scotia in 2001, youth under age 19 are not eligible for income assistance unless they can prove that they cannot live with a family member. In these situations, each young woman must find someone who will act as an on-site supervisor. These changes have led some young mothers to live with an abusive partner, exploitative family member, or other individual who does not have the safety and security of mother and child in mind.

Young mothers and their children also face many risks to their health and well-being, especially if they are isolated and without support. These include:

1. Poor prenatal care; higher rates of anemia and fetal death
2. Premature/low birth weight babies
3. Low rates of breastfeeding
4. Very high rates of exposure to violence and abuse by a partner, ex-partner, or family member
5. Increased incidence of infant/child visits to hospital emergency rooms
6. Delays in child development
7. Housing that is unsafe or poses health risks
8. Frequent moves and changes to child’s school/day care
9. Poverty and resulting problems (stress, poor health and nutrition, limited options)
10. Difficulties returning to work or school; long-term reliance on social assistance          
11. Chronically high levels of stress and instability because of these factors

Children are often put at risk for higher rates of difficulties later in life such as:

1. conflict with the law
2. teen pregnancy
3. failure to complete school

(Source: NS Atlee Perinatal Database; US Dept of Health and Human Services; for more information, contact SHYM.)

__________________________________________________________________