Biography

 Stephen Gaetz is a Professor in the Faculty of Education and is the Director of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness and the Homeless Hub.   

As a scholar Dr. Stephen Gaetz has had a long-standing interest in understanding homelessness – its causes, how it is experienced, and potential solutions. His program of research has been defined by his desire to ‘make research matter’ through conducting rigorous scholarly research that contributes to our knowledge base on homelessness and is mobilized so that it has an impact on policy, practice and public opinion. Dr. Gaetz has published extensively on the subject of homelessness and his research on youth homelessness, prevention and models of intervention have contributed to significant change in how we respond to homelessness in Canada.  In 2015, he was appointed to the Province of Ontario’s Expert Advisory Panel on Homelessness, and in 2017 he played a leading role as a member of the Government of Canada’s Advisory Panel on Homelessness.

As an internationally recognized leader and innovator in the area of knowledge mobilization, Dr. Gaetz has pioneered efforts to bring together researchers, practitioners, policy makers and people with lived experience of homelessness to participate in a broad agenda of community engaged scholarship and knowledge creation designed to contribute to solutions to homelessness.   As Director of the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness, one of his key projects is the Homeless Hub, an innovative web-based research library internationally recognized as a leading example of innovation in knowledge mobilization. Incorporating “design thinking” into this work (Gaetz, 2014a), the Homeless Hub integrates collaborative processes of knowledge and content development with a more assertive involvement in different aspects of publishing (and modes of publication), including graphic design, marketing, communications, and dissemination, with the goal of increasing the reach, usability and ultimately the impact of research.

From 2007-2012 Dr. Gaetz was Associate Dean of Research and Professional Development in the Faculty of Education Prior to his time at York University, Dr. Gaetz worked in the Community Health Sector, both at Shout Clinic (a health clinic for street youth in Toronto) and Queen West Community Health Centre in Toronto.

HONOURS AND AWARDS

2017                Member of the Order of Canada

2016                Dean’s Research Award – Faculty of Education

2015                SSHRC Research Impact – Connection Award

Scholarly Interests

Homelessness, infectious diseases and pandemics; Adolescence, youth culture and resistance; Street youth, their economic strategies, legal and justice issues; Strategies for mobilizing homelessness research

Faculty & School/Dept

• Faculty of Education -

• Faculty of Graduate Studies, Education -

Courses Taught

• Engaged Scholarship: Using Knowledge Mobilization to bridge the gap between academia, policy and practice. (GS/EDUC 5930)

Selected Publications

• Schwan, K., Gaetz, S., French, D., Redman, M., Thistle, J., & Dej, E (2018) What Would it Take? Youth Across Canada Speak Out on Youth Homelessness Prevention. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press.
• Gaetz, Stephen (2018). Commentary: Harm reduction, managed alcohol programs and doing the right thing.. Drug and Alcohol Review , 37 (Suppl 1).
• Stephen Gaetz (2017). Test object..
• Stephen Gaetz & Erin Dej (2017) A New Direction: A Framework for Homelessness Prevention. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press
• Gaetz, Stephen (2017). Policy into Practice: How Government Can Play a Role in Supporting LGBTQ2S Youth. In Abramovich, A., & Shelton, J Where Am I Going to Go? Intersectional Approaches to Ending LGBTQ2S Youth Homelessness in Canada & the U.S (pp. 309-320). Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press
• Gaetz, Stephen (2017) THIS is Housing First for Youth: A Program Model Guide. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press
• Gaetz, Stephen & Kristy Buccieri (2016). The Worst of Times: The Challenges of Pandemic Planning in the Context of Homelessness. In Buccieri, Kristy; Schiff, Rebecca Pandemic Preparedness and Homelessness: Lessons from H1N1 in Canada. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press
• Gaetz, Stephen & Melanie Redman (2016) Federal Investment in Youth Homelessness: Comparing Canada and the United States. A Proposal for Reinvestment." .Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Policy Brief #1
• Gaetz, Stephen; Dej, E., Richter, T., Redman, M. (2016) The State of Homelssness in Canada - 2016 . Canadian Homelessness Research Network / Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.Homeless Hub Paper series #2
• Gaetz, Stephen (2016) Canadian Definition of Youth Homelessness.Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
• Stephen Gaetz, Bill O'Grady, Sean Kidd & Kaitlin Schwan. (2016) (2016) Without a Home: The National Youth Homelessness Survey. Toronto: Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Press
• Buccieri, Kristy; Gaetz, Stephen (2015) Facing FAQs: H1N1 and Homelessness in Toronto. Canada - 2014. Canadian Homelessness Research Network / Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.Homeless Hub Research Paper series
• Gaetz, Stephen (2015). A pragmatic, humanistic and effective approach to addictions: The Importance of Harm Reduction. In Inclusion Working Group, Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Homelessness is Only One Piece of My Puzzle: Implications for Policy and Practice (pp. 104-112). Toronto, Ontario, Canada: The Homelessness Hub Press
• Gaetz, Stephen (2015). Conclusion: Listen up! The role of dignity, respect and inclusion in our response to homelessness. In Inclusion Working Group, Canadian Observatory on Homelessness Homelessness is Only One Piece of My Puzzle: Implications for Policy and Practice (pp. 162-175). Toronto, Ontario, Canada: The Homelessness Hub Press
• Gaetz, Stephen (2014) A Safe and Decent Place to Live: Towards a Housing First Framework for Youth. Toronto: The Homeless Hub Press
• Gaetz, Stephen; Phipps, David; Wedlock, Jane (2014). Special Issue: York Symposium on the Scholarship of Engagement. Scholarly and Research Communication, 5 (3).
• Gaetz, Stephen (2014) Coming of Age: Reimagining our Response to Youth Homelessness in Canada.Homeless Hub Research Paper Series #11
• Gaetz, Stephen (2014). Can Housing First work for youth?. European Journal of Homelessness., 8 (2), 159-176.
• Gaetz, Stephen; Gulliver, Tanya; Richter, Tim (2014) The State of Homelessness in Canada - 2014. Canadian Observatory on Homelessness / Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.Homeless Hub Research Paper series
• Nichols, Naomi, & Gaetz, Stephen (2014). Strategies for Sustaining Complex Partnerships. Scholarly and Research Communication, 5 (3: 0301166).
• Gaetz, Stephen (2014). Knowledge Mobilization as Design: The Case of the Canadian Homelessness Research Network Scholarly and Research Communication, 5 (2: 0201163).
• Gaetz, Stephen; Scott, Fiona & Gulliver, Tanya (2013). Housing First in Canada - Supporting Communities to End Homelessness. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Homelessness Research Network Press
• Gaetz, Stephen, Donaldson, J., Richter, T. & Gulliver, T. (2013) The State of Homelessness in Canada - 2013 . Toronto: CHRN
• Gaetz, Stephen, O'Grady, Bill, Buccieri, Kristy, Karabanow, Jeff, & Marsolais, Allyson (Eds.) (Eds.). (2013). Youth homelessness in Canada: Implications for policy and practice. (Gaetz, Stephen, O'Grady, Bill, Buccieri, Kristy, Karabanow, Jeff, & Marsolais, Allyson (Eds.) , Eds.) CanadaCHRN
• Gaetz, Stephen, Donaldson, J., Richter, T. & Gulliver, T (2013) ) The State of Homelessness in Canada - 2013. Canadian Homelessness Research Network / Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness.Homeless Hub Paper series #2
• Gaetz, Stephen (2013). The Criminalization of Homelessness: A Canadian Perspective. European Journal of Homelessness, 7 (2), 357-362.
• Gaetz, Stephen & Fional Scott (2013) What Works and for Whom? A Framework for Designing & Implementing Promising Practices Research in the Homelessness Sector. Toronto: Homeless Hub Research Paper Series #3
• Gaetz, Stephen (2012) The Real Cost of Homelessness. Can we save money by doing the right thing?. Toronto: Canadian Homelessness Research Network
• Gaetz, Stephen, Barr, C., Friesen, A., Harris, B., Hill, C., Kovacs-Burns, K., Pauly, B., Pearce, B., Turner, A., Marsolais, A. (2012) The Canadian Definition of Homelessness. Toronto: Canadian Homelessness Research Network
• Gaetz, Stephen & Scott, Fiona (2012) Live, Learn, Grow: Supporting Transitions to Adulthood for Homeless Youth - A Framework for the Foyer in Canada. . Toronto: CHRN
• Kulik. DM; Gaetz, Stephen; Levy, AS; Crowe, C; Ford-Jones, EL (2011). "Homeless youth's overwhelming health burden - a review of the literature". . Pediatrics and Child Health , 16, 43-47.
• O'Grady, Bill; Gaetz, Stephen & Buccieri, Kristy (2011) Can I See Your ID? The Policing of Homeless Youth in Toronto.. Toronto: Canadian Homelessness Research Network
• Winland, Daphne; Gaetz, Stephen & Patton, Tara (2011) Family Matters: Homeless youth and Eva's Initiatives "Family Reconnect" Program. Toronto: Homeless Hub Research Report Series
• Gaetz, Stephen; O'Grady, Bill & Buccieri, Kristy (2010) Surviving Crime and Violence - Street Youth and Victimization in Toronto. Toronto: Justice for Children and Youth, & the Homeless Hub. Homeless Hub Research Report Series #1
• Gaetz, Stephen & O'Tuama, Seamus (2010). "Outside the Rights Wall: youth homelessness and the denial of respect and human rights." . In Allen, Sharon Loree; Besosa, M.ayra; O'Halloran, Anthony; & Ragaven, Chengiah (Eds.), Walls, Fences, Borders, and Boundaries: Essays on Social Exclusion, Inclusion and Intergration. Dubuque, Iowa, USA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company
• Gaetz, Stephen (2010). The struggle to end homelessness in Canada: How we created the crisis, and how we can end it The Open Health Services and Policy Journal .
• Gaetz, Stephen & O'Grady, Bill (2009). Chapter 7.3 Homelessness, Incarceration and the Challenge of Effective Discharge Planning: a Canadian Case. In In Hulchanski, J.David; Campsie, Philippa; Chau, Shirley; Hwang, Stephen; Paradis, Emily (Ed.), Finding home: policy options for addressing homelessness in Canada. Cities Centre Press, University of Toronto
• Tarasuk, Valerie; Dachner, Naomi; Poland, Blake; Gaetz, Stephen (2009). Food deprivation is integral to the 'hand to mouth' existence of homeless youth in Toronto. Public Health Nutrition.
• Gaetz, Stephen (2008). Why Are We Still Struggling with Homelessness in Canada? Seven Things We Can Do. Canadian Housing.
• Gaetz, Stephen & O'Grady, Bill (2006) The Missing Link: Discharge Planning, Incarceration and Homelesssness. Toronto: John Howard Society of Ontario
• Gaetz, Stephen (2006). Editorial Making Research Matter: The Canadian Conference on Homelessness. Canadian Review of Social Policy.
• Gaetz, Stephen (2005). Another Girl: An Atypical Story about a Typical Adolescent. In L. Biggs & P. Downes (Eds.), Gendered Intersections: A Collection of Readings for Women's and Gender Studies. Toronto: Fernwood Books
• Gaetz, Stephen (2004). Safe Streets for Whom? Street Youth, Social Exclusion and Criminal Victimization. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
• O'Grady, Bill & Gaetz, Stephen (2004). Homelessness, Gender and Income Generation: the case of Toronto Street Youth. Journal of Youth Studies.
• Gaetz, Stephen (2002) Street Justice - The Legal and Justice Issues of Homeless Youth in Toronto.. Toronto: Justice for Children and Youth
• Gaetz, Stephen & O'Grady, Bill (2002). Making Money - Exploring the Economy of Homeless Workers. Work, Employment and Society.
• Gaetz, Stephen, O'Grady, Bill & Vaillancourt, Brian (1999) Making Money - the Shout Clinic Report on Homeless Youth and Employment.. Toronto: Central Toronto Community Health Centres
• Gaetz, Stephen (1997). Looking Out for the Lads: Community Action and Youth Provision in an Urban Irish Parish. . St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada: Institute of Social and Economic Research
• Kidd, S.A., Gaetz, S., & O'Grady, B. The 2015 National Canadian Homeless Youth Survey: Mental health and addictions findings. Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 62 (7), 493-500.

Selected Presentations

• Gaetz, Stephen & Redman, Melanie (2018, April). THIS is Housing First for Youth. Presented at: Denver: Housing First Partners Conference
• Gaetz, Stephen & Redman, Melanie (2018, February). What the Future Looks Like? A Roadmap for the Prevention of Youth Homelessness. Presented at: New York: Point Source Symposium on Solutions to Youth Homelessness. (Keynote Address)
• Gaetz, Stephen (2018, February). The Legal and Justice Issues of Youth who Experience Homelessness. Presented at: Vancouver: American Bar Association Meeting on the Legal Needs of Street Youth
• Gaetz, Stephen & Redman, Melanie (2017, December). THIS is Housing First for Youth. Presented at: St. John’s, Nfld: Choices for Youth Meeting of NL Working Group on Youth Homelessness
• Gaetz, Stephen & Dej, Erin (2017, October). Homelessness Prevention – From Framework to Action. Presented at: Winnipeg, Manitoba: Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness Conference
• Gaetz, Stephen & Schwann, Kaitlin (2017, October). Preventing Youth Homelessness- 10 things we can do. Presented at: Winnipeg, Manitoba: Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness Conference
• Gaetz, Stephen (2017, October). The SHIFT to end homelessness. Presented at: ” Douglas R.W. Wilson lecture., Keynote Address Edmonton, Alberta
• Gaetz, Stephen (2017, September). Understanding Youth Homelessness in Canada – The first national survey. Presented at: Barcelona, Catalonia: European Observatory on Homelessness Conference
• Gaetz, Stephen & Redman, Melanie (2017, August). Making the Shift – Preventing and Ending Homelessness in Canada. Presented at: Toronto: Province of Ontario Poverty Reduction Strategy
• Gaetz, Stephen & Vasko, Stephanie (2017, July). Knowledge Mobilization and Design Thinking. Presented at: Toronto: REALIZE
• Gaetz, Stephen (2017, May). Without a Home – The National Youth Homelessness Survey . Presented at: Toronto, Ontario: National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness
• Gaetz, Stephen & Redman, Melanie (2017, April). Making the Shift Launch – Strategy Session. Presented at: Toronto: Catherine Donnelly Foundation
• Gaetz, Stephen (2016, November). The State of Homelessness in Canada 2016. Presented at: Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness conference at London, Ontario
• Gaetz, Stephen (2016, October). Criminalizing Homelessness in Canada: The Impact on Homeless Youth. Presented at: ”. International Community Corrections Association at Toronto, ON
• Gaetz, Stephen (2016, July). Housing First for Youth – Challenges in Going to Scale. Presented at: National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference
• Redman, Melanie & Gaetz, Stephen (2016, June). A Way Home. Presented at: FEANTSA Policy Conference in Brussels Belgium
• Gaetz, Stephen (2016, June). Moving from Crisis to Prevention – Reimagining our Response to Youth Homelessness. Presented at: Rock Trust – Ending Youth Homelessness National Conference in Edinburgh Scotland.
• Redman, Melanie & Gaetz, Stephen (2016, June). Housing First for Youth in Europe – A Human Rights Approach. Presented at: Rock Trust, Edinburgh, Scotland
• Gaetz, Stephen (2016, February). Tackling ‘Wicked Problems’ through Collective Impact. Presented at: Housing Affordability and Market Based Solutions Conference at The University of Calgary, Calgary AB
• Gaetz, Stephen (2016, February). Housing First for Youth – The challenges of going to scale. Presented at: ” National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference on Family and Youth homelessness in Oakland, CA
• Redman, Melanie & Gaetz, Stephen (2015, November). A Way Home. Presented at: National Learning Community on Youth Homelessness Conference, St. John’s, NL
• Gaetz, Stephen (2015, November). Issues and Challenges in Going to Scale. Presented at: The American Round Table to Abolish Homelessness in Boston, MA
• Gaetz, Stephen (2015, September). Knowledge Mobilization and Design Thinking: Towards Enhancing the Impact of Homelessness Research. Presented at: Point Source Symposium on Solutions to Youth Homelessness., Keynote Address, New York
• Redman, Melanie & Gaetz, Stephen (2015, September). A Way Home – Supporting Community and Government Planning. Presented at: Funders Together Meeting, Toronto, ON
• Gaetz, Stephen (2015, June). Oh Canada! Lessons on Housing First from the Canadian Response to Homelessness. Presented at: Housing First: The Solution to Rough Sleeping? Pathway, Focus Ireland, City of Dublin., Dublin, Ireland
• Gaetz, Stephen (2015, June). Oh Canada! What we have learned, Where we are going …. Presented at: Launch of Edmonton Plan to Prevent, Reduce and End Youth Homelessness., Edmonton, AB
• Gaetz, Stephen (2013, May). Research Impact! How Research Can Contribute to Ending Homelessness. Presented at: (Keynote Address) Southern Alberta Research Symposium., City of Lethbridge
• Gaetz, Stephen (2012, October). What if every child had a caring adult in their life?. Presented at: (Keynote Address) Pushing the Limits conference, United Way of Calgary and Area

Other Research Outputs

The Canadian Observatory on Homelesness (formerly the Canadian Homelessness Research Network)

The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness (COH) is a non-partisan research and policy partnership between academics, policy and decision makers, service providers and people with lived experience of homelessness.  Housed at York University, the COH evolved out of a 2008 Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council funded project called the Canadian Homelessness Research Network. Led by Dr. Stephen Gaetz, CEO & President, the COH collaborates with partners to conduct and mobilize research that contributes to better, more effective solutions to homelessness.

In an effort to bridge the gap between research, policy and practice, the COH goes beyond the mandate of a traditional research institute. As the largest homelessness-dedicated research institute in the world, we support service providers, policy makers, and governments to improve their capacity to end homelessness. Our philosophy is simple: through research, evaluation and design, we can develop evidence-based solutions and together, solve homelessness.   The COH research agenda is organized around 8 interlocking research themes:

1.     Exploring effective systems responses to homelessness

2.     Effective models of accommodation and support

3.     Addressing Indigenous homelessness in Canada

4.     The shift to homelessness prevention

5.     Identifying effective responses to youth homelessness

6.     Legal and justice issues 

7.     Measuring progress towards ending homelessness

8.     Advancing knowledge mobilization and research impact 

We know that research alone cannot end homelessness. However, it is our role, and that of our partners, to generate research that supports significant conceptual shifts and provides an evidence base that allows others to implement solutions that truly move the dial on homelessness. To do so, the COH employs a range of strategies to inform stakeholders and disrupt longstanding, ineffective responses to homelessness. 

The Homeless Hub

The Homeless Hub (www.homelesshub.com)  is a web-based research library and information center representing an innovative step forward in the use of technology to enhance knowledge mobilization and networking. Building on the success of the Canadian Conference on Homelessness (2005), the Homeless Hub was created to address the need for a single access point to find homelessness information from across Canada. Launched in 2007, The Homeless Hub has emerged as a place where community services providers, researchers, government representatives, and the general public can access and share research, stories, and best practices. The Homeless Hub has since developed into a knowledge mobilization tool that is broadly recognized for the quality of content, the extensive library on homelessness (the largest in the world), and for the effective use of technology and social media.  The Homeless Hub operates out of York University, and is a project of the Canadian Homelessness Research Network.  The Director of the Homeless Hub is Dr. Stephen Gaetz, of York University.

Awards

• Making the Shift – Youth Homelessness Social Innovation Lab, Social Development Partnership Program, Government of Canada - 2017
• Youth Homelessness Prevention Framework Consultation, Home Depot of Canada Foundation - 2017
• National Youth Homelessness Survey, Home Depot of Canada Foundation - 2016
• Computer simulation modeling to address homelessness, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada - 2016
• Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Impact Award – Connection, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada - 2015
• Point-in-Time Homeless Count Training and Support for Designated Communities of the Homelessness Partnering Strategy, Community Development and Homelessness Partnering Directorate, Government of Canada - 2015
• The Canadian Observatory on Homelessness: Creating Policy Impact, SSHRC Partnership Grant - 2013
• Housing First Promising Practices Case Studies, HRDC Homelessness Partnering Strategy - 2013
• Responding to H1N1 in the Context of Homelessness in Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research - 2010
• The provision of charitable food assistance in Canada: forging a more adequate response, Canadian Institutes of Health Research - 2009
• Canadian Homelessness Research Network, SSHRC Strategic Knowledge Cluster Program - 2008

York University Affiliations/Cross Appointments

• York Centre for Education and Community: Faculty Associate
• The City Institute, York University: Faculty Associate

Partnerships/Initiatives/Centres

• A Way Home Canada: I am a founding member of A Way Home Canada, a national coalition to prevent and end youth homelessness. AWHC collaborates deeply with the COH on a range of initiatives.
• Canadian Alliance to End Homelessess: I am a current board member and active participant in the work of the CAEH
• Raising the Roof: I am the former President of Raising the Roof, and was a board member for ten years