You have to adapt because you have no other choice: The stories of strength and resilience of 208 homeless youth in New York City and Toronto

Presented in this paper are the results of a qualitative analysis of the narratives of 208 homeless youth interviewed on streets and in agencies in New York City and Toronto. The interviews focused on the participants' stories about their struggles to survive and negotiate meaningful and healthy lives in coming to the streets, living on the streets, and finding ways off the streets. Analysis of the narratives revealed shifts in the youths' senses of self/identity, and related understandings of agency, self-worth, value systems, and connectedness in their various efforts to adapt to a range of street and nonstreet contexts. (C) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.