Frequently Asked Questions

• How can I check Laing House out?
  Give us a call at (902) 473-7743 or email us at support@lainghouse.org, and arrange to come down for a tour of the house. After the tour - if you want to become involved - just fill out a referral form, and someone will set up a time to get you started. If you live in the Halifax area, we are available to come and meet with you at a place you choose - maybe near your home or at school.
• What happens on my first visit?
  When you come to Laing House for the first time, look for a tall blue house at 1225 Barrington Street, near South Street, in Halifax. The atmosphere is relaxed, comfortable and welcoming. Come on in, and someone will greet you and maybe take you through the house on a tour. You can say hello to others who are around, or just talk to your tour guide. Walking through the house is a way to find out what kinds of things happen here, and what the space is like.
• How do I get involved at Laing House?
  If you choose to be active at Laing House (it's called becoming a member) you can get involved in as much as you want, in whatever activities or programs interest you. Please contact Judy Bell, Director of Programming (902) 473-7739 should you wish to learn more about how to become a member.
  
  At Laing House, your ideas are important. Activities take place because youth want them to. So if you have an idea, speak up! Youth involvement and feedback are built in. There are many projects you can take part in, both in-house and out in the community. Youth and staff work together and share responsibility for how things unfold - this is what Laing House is all about.
• What if I only want help finding a job?
  You are free to pick and choose what you want to get involved in at Laing House. So if it's just working with Employment Services, that's fine. If it's coming out to the Photography Group and the occasional Lunch @ Laing, feel free. One youth describes Laing House as a buffet, where each person selects what best suits where they're at.
• How do youth describe Laing House?
  Laing House is a place where:
  
  • You can just be yourself
  • You can get back on your feet
  • You can come to have fun
  • You can tell your story without fear, shame or stigma
  • You can get support and make new friends
  • People respect and accept each other
  • You can share common experiences and learn from others
  • You have input into what happens
  • You can feel comfortable trying new things and taking on leadership
  • You decide how often you wish to come, and how you want to be involved!
  • There is high speed internet, a lounge, free laundry and shower, and a kitchen with good java!
• When are you open?
  Monday / Wednesday / Friday 10 am - 6 pm
  Tuesday / Thursday 10 am - 8 pm
• Do people live at Laing House?
  We get asked that all the time! No one lives here. But if you need a place to live, we can help you find one.
• What kinds of people come to Laing House?
  All kinds – people who are students, people who are out in the work force, people who just chillax, people who want to meet other interesting people.
• What do people do at Laing House?
  We come to do art, send out resumes, to eat a meal together or get food from the food bank, to brainstorm about where we'll go to school next year, figure out how to budget, take a shower, do the laundry, to relax, write creatively, work out how to deal with the landlord, design research projects, and meet people – to name a few things.