Organization hits $25K crowdfunding goal for youth safe space in West End

The Spence Neighbourhood Association (SNA) has raised thousands of dollars, in less than three weeks, that organizers intend to put toward the creation of a safe space for at risk youth in Winnipeg's West End.

The association launched a GoFundMe campaign Nov. 24. The goal was to raise $25,000 to fund two positions for a 24-hour drop-in space for West End youth in crisis or with nowhere to go. 

• Spence Neighbourhood Association crowdfunds $17K for youth at risk

As of Sunday, Dec. 13, the campaign had slightly surpassed the $25,000 mark.

The plan is to have one elder/grandmother on staff and a youth mentor-in-residence.

"We asked, 'Who do you want to be working in the safe space?' And everybody [who responded] put their number one person as someone who is a grandmother, an elder who can give them that kind of love as what only grandmothers can," SNA executive director Jamil Mahmood said.

The proposed program would expand on the SNA's existing drop-in program, which runs Monday to Friday between 3:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. at the Magnus Eliason Recreation Centre (MERC) on Langside Street.

Mahmood previously told CBC News the program would start out on weekends and expand into the week depending on demand.

The association expects a government decision in the New Year about whether they will receive additional funding. Organizers hope to launch the program in the spring of 2016.

Tina Fontaine

The idea for a 24/7 safe space for West End youth gained momentum last fall after the death of Tina Fontaine, whose body was pulled from the Red River in Winnipeg in August of 2014. About 650 people in the community signed a petition pushing for the creation of the space last year.

Mahmood believes Winnipeggers dug deep to help in the online campaign because they don't want to see more kids fall through the cracks.

"A lot of us have homes, and beds, and those kind of places and just imagining our youngest, most vulnerable kids to not have that is something that really pulls on ... my emotions and yours," Mahmood said.

"People have seen enough tragedy in our city and in our community to say we need to be doing more to protect our most vulnerable, and I think everyone can relate to having a safe space at night."

Lindsay Howes, who manages youth programs at the SNA, said drop-in workers have grown frustrated having to turn kids away at certain hours.

"We found that we were pushing kids out at 9:30 p.m. That's when the doors close; there's no other place for them to go," Howes said.

"It's dark, they're vulnerable and there was a lot of resistance in some of our youth."

GoFundMe kicks in $1K

The GoFundMe website has even chipped in $1,000 to their cause — something that surprised Howes.

"Of all the things that are on GoFundMe, I can't believe they chose West End 24 hour safe space," said Howes. 

"It's just so overwhelming to have all of the support and all of the people that have worked so hard are just so thankful for all of the donations that have happened."

Howes said they hope to use the building they're already in on Langside street for the safe space, adding they're in talks with the city to extend the hours that they use the building. 

If that doesn't work out, she said other options are a SNA office on Ellice Avenue or a space at the West Central Women's Resource Centre.

"Ideally the MERC would be best because this is where we run all our programs anyway," said Howes. 

She said there are two other 24-hour safe spaces for teens in the city that they're using as role models for planning.

"The opportunity for more success is so tempting to be a part of, and so I really want to see more kids have access to that kind of stuff, and [see] the most marginalized kids in our community have access to those same things," she said.

Howes said that while the goal of $25,000 has been met, fundraising will need to continue. It will cost about $190,000 to get the safe space off the ground, she said. 

Howes said the kids who currently use the MERC drop-in are watching and cheering for each extra donations on the GoFundme page.

"We have the proposal sent to different agencies and levels in government," Howes said. "Hopefully we can get funding in place so we can open! That's all we really want right now."