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Youth Housing Coalition Expands

Youth Housing Coalition Expands image
Parent Issue
Month
January
Year
1990
Copyright
Creative Commons (Attribution, Non-Commercial, Share-alike)
Rights Held By
Agenda Publications
OCR Text

On January 20 the Youth Housing Coalition (YHC), in cooperation with Ozone House, is offering a full-day training session for new and old volunteers. YHC is a group of community members who provide temporary shelter for homeless 17-, 18-, and 19-year-olds. YHC volunteers share their homes to ensure that these kids - many of whom have run away from or been kicked out of abusive homes - have a safe place to sleep. The training session is part of a drive for new members, and will cover not only YHC policies and procedures, but general empathy and listening techniques.

YHC was organized in January 1988 to provide an alternative for youths who are too old to be eligible for foster care, so they wouldn't be forced into shelters - which can be dangerous - or onto the streets. In its first year of service, YHC provided approximately 110 youths with over 550 nights of shelter.

YHC works closely with Ozone House, the only crisis agency in the county designed to serve teens. When a youth needs emergency shelter, an Ozone House counselor screens him or her and, when appropriate, makes a referral to YHC. Before YHC accepts a youth, s/he is required to sign a housing contract which promises that s/he will abide by the rules of any house in which s/he stays. Each night, a YHC Housing Coordinator finds out who needs housing, and phones other YHC members to secure placements. YHC may always refuse the referral if members don't feel comfortable housing a particular youth.

Youths are required to meet regularly with counselors at Ozone House during the length of their stay with YHC. They also agree to find a job within two weeks of the start of their YHC stay, and a place to live within four. YHC makes the transition to independent living a little easier by allcwing them to pursue these goals without the fear of being without a place to sleep at night.

During their stay with YHC, youths are sheltered at different homes from night to night so they do not become overly dependent on any one member. We want our membership to be as diverse as possible so we can better meet the needs of our clients. For example, several houses are designated "women only" houses, where young women who are reluctant to sleep in the same home as adult males because of a past history of sexual abuse or other problems, can be sheltered in a safe environment. Right now we are recruiting more people of color for our volunteer lists. All prospective volunteers and their homes are screened by current YHC members to ensure that clients will find them comfortable and secure.

If you are interested in the January 20 training session or want to find out more about YHC, please cali YHC Coordinator Renuka Uthappa at 769-8268; or Ozone House Liaison Pam Galpern at 662-2265.

Youth Housing Coalition, P.O. Box 3194, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-3194.

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Old News
Agenda