YOUTH HOMELESSNESS

The Intersections between Youth Experiencing Homelessness, Youth Supports and Employment

This literature review highlights the need for ongoing support services alongside employment and training programs.

NYEC Workshops on Youth Homelessness

Housing Strategies and Resources for Youth Organizations

This workshop discusses various strategies organizations can do to help young people resolve severe housing instability or homelessness. The focus is on understanding HUD eligibility criteria, different types of housing interventions, and ways to partner with community housing providers.

The Intersection of Youth Homelessness + Human Trafficking

There is a strong overlap between homelessness and trafficking experiences among youth. Understanding the pathways, vulnerabilities that lead to homelessness and trafficking, as well as key strategies to prevent both, is critical in our fight to end human trafficking. Viewers will learn:

Federal definitions and examples will be used to define homelessness and human trafficking- inclusive of sex and labor trafficking.
The latest research to include Chapin Hall Voices of Youth Count and Loyola University’s research on the intersection of runaway and homeless youth and human trafficking
Common risk and protective factors
Key policy opportunities to move forward a proactive advocacy agenda.

NYEC Homelessness Series: Employment and YHDP

A workshop to explore the different strategies for improving employment outcomes and career pathways for youth experiencing homelessness from the perspective of different programs. The workshop is intended to give some practical ideas to youth employment programs out there in their approach to serving youth experiencing homelessness.

Homelessness and Youth Employment: Community Connections

This webinar highlights the opportunity to learn more about how homelessness and quality jobs are deeply connected, consider evidence-based programs, and discuss policies and systems necessary to support equitable access to sufficient income.

Federal Resources

HUD Homelessness Definition

Housing Urban Development (HUD) breaks down homelessness into 4 categories (Literal Homeless, Imminent Risk of Homeless, Homeless Under other Federal Statute, and Fleeing/Attempting to Flee DV) and provides an official definition of each circumstance.

Family and Youth Services Bureau

FYSB supports the work of organizations and communities in the fight to end youth homelessness, adolescent pregnancy and domestic violence. The Runaway and Homeless Youth page features FYSB-funded programs for several populations of youth experiencing homelessness. Examples:

Program

The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP)

The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) is a part of HUD’s initiative designed to address and reduce the number of youths experiencing homelessness. View this page to find more information about what areas have received YHDP funding.

United States Interagency Council on Homelessness

USICH is a federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness. The Tools for Action page includes toolkits and fact sheets about Federal programs, guidelines, policies, and more affecting homelessness. EXAMPLES:

The National Clearinghouse on Homeless Youth and Families (NCHYF)

The National Clearinghouse on Homeless Youth and Families (NCHYF) is a national resource for organizations that support runaway and homeless youth and their families with programs and services. For example:

Mental Health and Youth Homelessness: Understanding the Overlaps

Guides, Research, and Best Practices

Expanding Workforce and Career Development Pathways for Opportunity Youth

New Ways to Work and California Opportunity Youth Network share this guide to increase access to workforce programs and improve employment and self-sufficiency outcomes for opportunity youth, including justice-involved youth and youth experiencing homelessness.

Labor and Sex Trafficking Among Homeless Youth

Loyola University, in collaboration with Covenant House International, released a study on the prevalence and nature of human trafficking experienced by youth aged 17 to 25 years old located in different cities throughout the US.

Populations Experiencing Homelessness: Diverse Barriers to Employment and How to Address Them

Heartland Alliance released a best practice brief outlining the common barriers to employment that the youth experiencing homelessness experience all while addressing support services that prioritize their unique needs.

Centering Racial Equity in Youth Homelessness

This report discusses the need for racial equity to be a central component when addressing and providing support to youth experiencing homelessness.

General Resources and Networks

National Network for Youth

National Network for Youth is a national membership-based organization created to focus on the needs of runaway youth and youth experiencing homelessness. NNY shares a plethora of resources and ways to get involved, including:

Workforce Funnel System per State

This website provides federal workforce funding each state receives and how those funds are delivered through the state’s unique service delivery model. This example is for Connecticut, but you can click on your own state and see the funnel from Federal , State, down to Local.