Download - Avenues for Homeless Youth
July 23, 2013
Deborah Loon
Executive Director
NAEH Conference
Shelter and Transitional Housing for 200+ homeless youth per year in Twin Cities, MN. Four programs:
• Shelter and TLP in North Minneapolis
• GLBT Host Home Program
• Suburban Host Home Program
• Minneapolis Host Home Program
Avenues for Homeless Youth
GLBT Host Home Program • Created by GLBT community • Nationally-recognized model Suburban Host Home Program • Created by community volunteers and youth-serving agencies in fall 2011 • Youth from Hennepin County suburbs
Minneapolis Host Home Program • Launched fall 2012
• Youth from Minneapolis
• Safe & stable transition-like housing
• Cost-effective (50% cost / youth vs. congregate)
• When it works well, it is so much more….
• Long-term relationships critical for success in life
• Changes lives – youth AND hosts
• By extension, changes the community
Why Host Homes Why Host Homes
• Outside the system
• Recruit, screen and train community volunteers to provide short-term, supportive housing for homeless youth
• Program manager supports hosts – regular contact, monthly meetings, support groups
• Youth referred by many partners – homeless youth agencies, school and county social workers
• Youth receive ongoing case management
Basic Operation Basic Operation
Community Advisory or Action Council
• Reflects the community, activists
• Not just social service providers
• Key to host recruitment and program promotion
Key Features Key Features
Host screening
• Background checks, 2-3 interviews, reference checks
Host training
• Video to provide context to homelessness, trauma and resiliency, gender/transgender, anti-racism/white privilege, self-reflection exercises, panels of past hosts and youth
Key Features Key Features
Careful youth referrals
• Case manager needs to work with youth at least one month
• Youth are voluntary participants…they are never “placed”
Youth-driven matching process
Consistent support of hosts and youth
Key Features Key Features
Ongoing host training and support by program manager
• Calls and meetings, as needed
• Monthly support groups
• Monthly meeting in the home
• 2-3 trainings per year
Ongoing youth support by case manager
Key Features Key Features
Not easy! Leap of faith for participants.
• Manage expectations. Guarantee there will be conflicts and really difficult times. Hosts can’t expect youth to be “grateful.” And hosts will always wish they knew more about the youth.
• Help hosts set clear boundaries.
Communicate, train, support…repeat.
Lessons Learned Lessons Learned
• Must be created and owned by the community. Can’t be another social service program.
• Bias against government funding – do not want program to become rules-based.
• Good case management is crucial. But referring partners often lack capacity to case manage while in host home.
Lessons Learned Lessons Learned
www.avenuesforyouth.org
612-522-1690 [email protected]