Volunteers anticipate increase in youth homeless count in Kamloops

Volunteersare preparing to hit the streets for the second youth homeless count in Kamloops, and they expect the numbers to be higher than the previous count.

Katherine McParland, with the A Way Home program, said this year they've more resources and have picked a more suitable time to do the count.

"In the spring, homelessness is more visible becauseof the nicer weather,.There is less couch surfing indoorswhere itis harder to identify youth," said McParland.

• Count reveals hidden problem of youth homelessness in Kamloops
• Kamloops starts first youth homeless count

Volunteers will be scouring river banks and parkades.

Kamloops was the first community in Canada to do a youth specific homeless count in October of 2016.

In that count, it found 129 youth reported having beenhomelessand 56 of them reported being homeless at the time of the count.

This year, organizers have partnered with the school districts to speak to Grade 10 students.

"We want to target young people who are starting to experience homelessness and to intervene and prevent that trajectory," said

The count numbers will be available by the end of May or early June.

Listen asorganizers of the homeless count describe how they plan to better tacklethe problem:

With files from Daybreak Kamloops.