...A social problem that I find quite interesting is the homeless youth in Baltimore. After stumbling across several different articles about other communities with large group of homeless teenagers, I began researching the issue and its relevance to my own community. What stood out to me were the various ways the youth become homeless. When people see homeless adults, the often ignorantly attribute their circumstance to something that could have been avoided, or drug use and other behaviors that were their “fault.” I would love to work with the youth in the future because so many are homeless because they have nowhere else to go. It’s scary to think how young these children are often abandoned by their families as well as the system. Youth...
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...Homeless Youth: Research, Intervention, and Policy by Karen Spuriel Coleman- MBA Abstract Homelessness among youth in the U.S. is disturbingly common, with an estimated annual prevalence of at least 5 percent for those ages 12 to 17. Although homeless youth appear throughout the nation, they are most visible in major cities. Rigorous research on this special population is sparse, making it difficult to capture an accurate and complete picture. Despite its limitations, recent research describes homeless youth as a large and diverse group. Many homeless youth have multiple overlapping problems including medical, substance abuse, and emotional and mental problems. Literature suggests that comprehensive and tailored services are needed that address both the immediate and long-term needs of homeless youth. Where appropriate, services should include assistance with meeting basic needs as perceived by youth as a gateway to other needed services. In addition to serving those already homeless, interventions are needed to prevent homelessness among at-risk youth. Lessons for Practitioners, Policy Makers, and Researchers • As used here, the term “homeless youth” focuses on minors who have experienced literal homelessness on their own—i.e., who have spent at least one night either in a shelter or "on the streets" without adult supervision. On occasion, where warranted by the research being discussed, the term is also used to describe homeless young adults up to age 24. • Homelessness...
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...Homeless Youth I was surprised to learn that so many youth in America don’t have a home to go to every day and night. I decided to look up some statistics on homeless youth; I got my information from the National Coalition for the Homeless. Considering the statistics of how many youth are homeless is from 2002, there is about over one million homeless youth in the US. Pregnant and homosexual, bisexual, and transgender teens account for the highest percent of homeless youth. That doesn’t really surprise me because when most parents find out that their daughter is pregnant or a sexual orientation they don’t approve of they’ll get angry or not accept it so ultimately they’ll kick them out. With the economy today a lot of teenagers don’t have jobs, so if their parents kick them out then they don’t really have a choice but to slum in the streets or if possible find a shelter. Although, most teens don’t experience long-term homelessness; they usually find a relative or find a way to make it on their own. The National Coalition of the Homeless says that the three major causes of homelessness are family problems, economic problems, and residential instability. None of this information surprises me because of physical and sexual abuse within families and the economy downfall and homes being foreclosed on. Since most youth can’t afford to sustain themselves on their own they turn to other means to make money. Some of these ways are selling drugs and selling their body. I...
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...ever before and the push for acceptance is inspiring many youth to come out the closet. In the 1980’s the average age for coming out was early twenties and getting approval from parents was not so important because the gay child would be out the house by then, now the average age for coming out is 14- 17 years old and most children are living with their parents at this time so approval is everything, it is a place for shelter. The average coming out age has declined over the past years and as a result more than 25 percent of all youth that come out are either rejected by their families or forced out their homes due to the youth’s sexual orientation or gender identity, according to The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Homeless Youth Provider Survey. Most people would think that these youth would get the comfort and support from their families...
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...care. Living conditions of the homeless in and of themselves predispose the homeless population to a plethora of health problems. The problems associated with homelessness and healthcare have far reaching effects for a special subset of the homeless population – the population of homeless youth. Each year, more than 1.35 million children and youth experience life without a home, and one out of seven of all individuals treated by homeless health care projects is a child under age 15 (National Healthcare for the Homeless Council [NHCHC], 2003, p.1). Homeless children face the same illnesses faced by children in the general population, but their health issues are exacerbated by the circumstances inherent in their homeless status. Homelessness in and of itself is an independent predictor of poor health status among children (Kern Medical Center, 2003, p.3). Some of the health care issues especially prevalent in the homeless youth population are: psychosocial issues, nutrition and issues related to physical development, communicable diseases, dermatological disorders, respiratory disorders, dental health issues, sexual health issues, substance abuse issues, and issues related to medication use and adherence. Multiple studies have identified the adverse effects of homelessness on children’s psychosocial health including aspects of development, academic success, behavior, and mental health. In comparison to other poor children who have never been homeless, there is increased risk for...
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...NURSING ISSUES AND HOMELESS YOUTH PRESENTED BY MICHELLE ALLEN AND LORI UMENHOFER I. Research and Awareness A. Homeless youth face the same issues faced by children in the general population, but their issues are exacerbated by the circumstances inherent to their homeless status. B. As touched upon in the skit, some of the health care issues especially prevalent in the homeless youth population are psychosocial issues, nutrition issues, communicable diseases, dermatological disorders, respiratory disorders, dental health issues, sexual health issues, substance abuse issues, and issues related to medication adherence. II. Psychosocial Issues A. Multiple studies have identified the adverse effects of homelessness on children’s psychosocial health. 1. Kern Medical Center Study – In comparison to other poor children who have never been homeless, there is increased risk for depression, anxiety, behavioral problems, and academic problems in homeless children. B. Women who are homeless during pregnancy usually do not have access to prenatal care, are often undernourished, and are often substance abusers – all of which leads to low birth weight babies with neurobehavioral problems predisposing them to lower academic achievement and behavioral issues at higher rates than children who are not homeless. C. Studies such as those carried out by the Health Care for the Homeless Clinician’s Network show that, for children who are homeless with their families, under stimulation by...
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...The Streets are not A Home for Youth Carlton Crayton English 147 August 31, 2015 University of Phoenix The Streets are not A Home for Youth The United States of America; the "Land of Milk and Honey," also known throughout the world as a place of prosperity. While this may be true for some, there is a significant percentage of the American population who lives in poverty. There are many who are so impoverished that they do not even have a place to call home. While homelessness has always existed in America, never before has this nation seen such a high percentage of its youth population living on the streets. Even though Young people often become homeless due to family conflict and substance abuse, youth is at a higher risk for homelessness than adults ("Starry Children At Heart Ministries, Inc.", 2015). In order to reduce the number of homeless youth, society needs to address the high rates of substance abuse, mental illness, and sexual trauma that is experienced by today's young adults. Substance abuse of alcohol, marijuana, and other drugs are prevalent amongst homeless youth. Many, young adolescent young people who became or on the verge of becoming homeless, were brought up in households where drug and alcohol were being used on a regular basis by parents or guardians. Domestic violence and some form of abuse within the home was present. Therefore, prompted the youthful pre-adult youth, encountering a horrible and traumatic adolescence. Subsequently;...
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...poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty." - Mother Teresa Jenny closed her eyes and pictured last year’s Christmas. Her family was all gathered around the tree, everyone wearing smiles and speaking with laughter. It was warm and she was excited not only about the holiday season, but also because she had planned to finally tell her parents about Maggie, her girlfriend of five months. She was a bit worried about how her parents would react but they loved her and would want her to be who she was and to be happy. She couldn’t wait to stop hiding, to stop pretending she was something else. She never thought that would be her last Christmas with her family. She never imagined that a year later she would be living on the streets, cold, scared and hungry watching all the happy families go in and out of the stores and shops. Her parents kicked her out when she broke the news about Maggie. For a while she stayed with friends until there were no more offers of a place to lay her head for the night. She tried shelters until she got beat up one night when someone let it slip she was gay. For a bit she was staying at a home for LGBT (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender) youth, but they ran out of funding and shut down. Now, she has nowhere to turn and wishes that someone would help her. LGBT youth homelessness is rising at an alarming rate...
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...Kenneth Owuor) and analyses change initiatives in pastoral ministries by examining how religious leaders address youth issues both locally and on a global level. The paper looks at what type of leadership styles are best practiced to capture the attention of younger generations, and provide guidance necessary for development of productive quality lifestyles. In an effort to understand the complex nature of the minds of today’s youth, Harold asked several questions on what strategic plans the Pastor had for achieving the goals of his ministry and the anticipated outcomes of effective leadership and guidance on the youth. The interview process identified several opportunities for change and attempts to examine youth ministries as a critical component of religious leadership. The primary purpose of this paper is to look at the lack of emphasis of youth ministries in a population destined to be our future leaders. Interview on Implementing Change 3 Introduction Arnold H. Glasow said, “One of the tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency.” In examining the issue of ministry in general and youth ministry in particular, it is clear that there is to a growing extent, a generalized focus on the overall concept of pastoral ministries, which does not always result in fostering the growing needs of today’s youth from a religious perspective. There is a critical need for improvement in leadership styles in...
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...some horizontal connection between the teams but not a clear functional structure hybrid between functional and divisional innovative features: social business (mohamed yunous) – integrating the production (commercial) and the teaching (social) business side – bringing in money to sustain the organization social side - 2002 – they used to be funded by federal grants BUT caveat w. government funding required the trainees to be paid… issue: these are homeless youth and they are being taken off the streets – giving them homes and are taught basic survival skills on how to live, and take care of themselves any kind of not for profit formula has strict guidelines which is why they switched because it was counter intuitive to the social goal. Case: Who: (names and position): Andrew Macdonald and the Advisory Board (primary stakeholders) Eva’s initiatives What: (Key Issues): Whether or not to expand and if so how Why: (Root Causes): Funding Will the business side fund the social side? Need to help more at risk youth is pressing – growing problem When (Timeline): No, just as it works for the company Changing the funding has put some constraints on the economic business, BEP Analysis: (application of course concepts, models, theories): Performance: changing in funding formula away from government funding was made after 2005 strategic review – allowed Eva’s Phoenix …….. How did this impact its organizational design? Strategy: integration of its social and commercial...
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...What is youth and what are the advantages and disadvantages of being young? It is said that youth is the nicest time of one´s life. As a young person you are fit, strong and have enough energy to face problems. In fact you do not think about any problems, but look forward to every day in which you may try something new and challenging, and people around you tend to tolerate your faults because of your lack of experience. There are two different groups of young people: teenagers (13 to 19 years old) and those between twenty and thirty. Both groups have something in common, but there are also differences between them. Teenagers are a special group. They are not children any more, yet neither are they adults. They are strongly influenced by their friends, reasonably influenced by their parents and partly influenced by their teachers, but there are also youth culture influences that may be important. As teenagers grow up, they interact with people outside their homes, each becoming an individual person with his own ideals. Teenagers want to live independently and oppose the older generation so they often have conflicts with their parents and teachers. Most of them attend secondary schools and prepare themselves for their future profession. They spend most of their time at school or studying for the following school day. In their leisure time they like getting together with friends, listening to music, playing computer games and going to parties and discos. Most of them live...
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...help that is needed. There are many different types of housing for teens that are homeless. The homeless shelters provide beds for homeless youths 16 through 20 shelter and transitional housing with supportive services. The youths are allowed to stay in these programs as long as they are making healthy goal progress and respecting house and community rules. Youth counselors and case managers provide direct care for the youth 24 hours per day, under supervision of Program Director. The youths get clean bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry facilities, three nutritious meals per day, personal hygiene supplies and bus tokens. Youths work together to define housing, social, personal, health and educational goals and opportunities. The Social Workers that work at the shelters are committed to working with young people from where they are to help gain real life living skills at every level including how to engage with adults and other youths in the house... Helping prepare youths to engage constructively in their communities and develop self assurance by addressing both their basic needs and the four core elements of positive youth development: a sense of competence, a sense of usefulness, a sense of belonging, and a sense of power. Intensive case management, mental health therapy, nursing consultation, group counseling, employment coaching, and life skilled training are designed to prepare the youth for a successful transition to independent adulthood. In addition,...
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...Street Youth Briefing Note Part 2 | Selina Henry 0852490Shara StoneJUST3120: Community Building PracticesDue Date: 1 /02/15 | Street Youth Briefing Note Part 2 | Selina Henry 0852490Shara StoneJUST3120: Community Building PracticesDue Date: 1 /02/15 | Options Option 1: Kennedy House Youth Shelter Services * Directed to the website when asked for the mission of Kennedy House Youth Shelter; “To enable youth to grow as individuals to contribute as members of the community. This is achieved in our residential and community based programs by providing customized support and building trusting relationships” (Kennedy House Youth Services, 2009). * Main target is homeless youth between the ages of 16-25 one day less a day; they can come in daily from their 16th birthday and stay up until their 25th birthday (Rosenthal, 2015). * This service is self-directed according to Rosenthal (2015) residents have the option to choose whether they come to the shelter unless there is a ban. This service uses a harm reduction approach; staff consider client-staff relationship a key factor when working with youth. * According to James Rosenthal community is seen as an active partnership with immediate community members (Rosenthal, 2015). Kennedy House works towards addressing programs in the community with a zero tolerance for youth who break the policies of the agency. * When speaking with Rosenthal he explained that Kennedy House has a strong relationship with...
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...needs of the community. To add, the paper will include the development and changes in values, attitudes, and beliefs over a 40-year period; and how these changes affected the way they deliver services. Lastly, this paper will explain how specializations became a trend across human services delivery, in general. Introduction In 1969 America’s youth was in search of utopia and found it at a music festival called Woodstock in Ulster County. Young people travelled from all over to partake in the Woodstock festival, nearly 400,000 young people came to attend the festival (Gibbons, 2010). However, after the music festival ended, people were stuck in that county which turned into a problem. Homelessness and drugs became a major problem, the young people slept on benches, camped out in parking lots, and searched for food and clothing (Gibbons, 2010). This also became a problem for the townspeople. The young people were getting in trouble with the law because of the drugs. One woman, Gail Varsi, recognized the problem and decided to do something. She first, gave police her home number and instructed them to call her whenever a homeless youth got in trouble. She then reached out to local residents and businesses and together they began hosting food and clothes drives. Family of Woodstock, Inc. was founded with the help of Michael Berg (Gibbons, 2010). Family of Woodstock Inc. is an advocacy group that believes everyone is entitled to receive food, clothing, and shelter. The Family of...
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...The latest report shows there at 1.6 million youth who face homelessness each year without a parent or guardian and they can’t meet their basic needs (2012, homelesslaw.org). The youths are forced to survive by any means necessary and our local government is concerned about cutting education, jobs and passing budgets. Our youth are in crisis mode. Many youths are dealing with unstable parents with mental illness; a disruptive home and drugs are a huge concern along with assault among our youths. This crisis cause our youth to seek shelter either with gang members or on the street. Gangs and youth is another form of control. The gang lifestyle offer the youngster a stable family with a warm bed and a full stomach. Who wouldn’t do whatever it takes to keep a roof overhead? My community in California offer two of many programs geared at our juvenile delinquents. The first program is called Wind Youth Services. This program was started in 1994 by two sisters. The nuns rented a small place to help youth who ran away survive on the streets. They provided classes with basic survival skills and resources to break the homelessness cycle. The program provided more youth than space. In 2001 with the help of a Federal Grant, Wind Homeless Shelter was opened. It provided more classes and more volunteers and community outreach. In 2007, with the help of generous donors and outreach programs, Wind opened up a youth center for young people to come and do homework; get tutoring; job...
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