Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Meeting
August 8, 2017
In attendance: Yoshi Bird, YWCA, Anna Cruz, TiLP program (CHD), Serena Daye, Rapid re-housing, Emily English, Gandara Center, Rosemary Fiedler, HCC (Thrive), Lisa Goldsmith, DIAL/SELF, Sharon Hall-Smith, Gandara Center, Natalie Hill, Gandara Center, Sarah Hills, Eliot CHS Homeless Services, Natalie Kyles, Gandara Center, Jacqueline Lozada, RVCC/Holyoke SSYI, Kim Majewski, Gandara Center, Rebecca Muller, Grantworks, Kathie Robies, RVCC/HSSYI, Jean Rogers, CHD, Pamela Schwartz, Network
Overview of purpose/goal of subcommittee:
Rebecca provided an overview of HUD’s new youth funding competition, and the Hampden County CoC’s process to complete a competitive application. The CoC is receiving HUD funded Technical Assistance in support of the application. The CoC applied last year and did very well (so as to earn the TA) but not quite well enough to be funded. Certain weaknesses were identified in the areas of youth engagement and cross-sharing of data among state and other agencies. The Network Youth Committee will provide the umbrella for this application process.
We welcomed two young people, Anna and Serena, who attended the meeting for the first time and welcomed their feedback around factors that could increase youth engagement. Together we brainstormed:
- ease of transportation
- food
- active engagement and recruitment – what is this, why become involved
- use of an anonymous survey to collect background info and feedback around this meeting
Review of Hampden County data (Click here)
The group reviewed a summary of findings around youth homelessness in Hampden County. Please see attachment. We also reviewed the research that outlined the primary causes of youth homelessness:
- Family instability
- System involvement
- Residential instability
- Extreme disconnection from education, employment and support networks
And the youth sub-populations more frequently impacted by homelessness:
- LGBTQ youth
- Justice System Involved Youth
- Child Welfare System involved youth
- Sex Trafficked Youth
- Immigrant and Refugee Youth
Gerry noted that parenting youth is also a significant sub-population in our region (106 parenting youth in last year’s Point in Time count), and is a factor in causing homelessness.
The group also briefly reviewed a summary of Gandara’s SHINE youth program findings (click here).
Next steps:
- Anna will work with Serena to develop a survey for youth that would be utilized as part of an engagement strategy for this committee; she will relay to Jean at CHD and then Jean to Pamela for continued discussion within the committee in advance of the next meeting
- Gerry will reach out to DCF and DYS to recruit representative attendance at their next meeting (Lisa suggested searching out the adolescent outreach staff at DCF)
Next meeting date:
Wednesday, 9/13, 4-5:30 pm, HCC, subject to Rosemary’s space inquiry.
Thanks to Jackie and Kathie for the use of their meeting space today.
