Social relationships and social support among street-involved youth

Abstract

ABSTRACTRecent studies suggest that street-involved youth may have more robust and diverse social networks than previously thought. However, the supports offered by their social relationships have not been studied in detail. We analyzed descriptive quantitative data and open-ended interviews with 130 street-involved youth aged 14–18 in Victoria, Canada, to investigate the perceived roles and supportive functions of their most-valued social relationships. Our results show that most participants were embedded in supportive social relationships. For a substantial minority, these were familial and friendship ties forged prior to street involvement. These off-street relationships were often viewed as reliable and stable long-term sources of social support, including emotional, instrumental and informational support, particularly in times of need. This was the case despite perceived relational difficulties and limited face-to-face contact. Approximately half located themselves primarily within new street-based relationships. In comparison with off-street contacts, street-based social ties provided more consistent, immediate social support, and there was greater diversity in terms of the depth and supportive functions of these relationships. However, street-based relationships were often not perceived as being particularly stable over the long-term. Only a small minority of participants reported having no social contacts to turn to for support. Our results highlight the distinct roles that on- and off-street social relationships play in supporting street-involved youth.