holy macro! big picture thinking on and lessons from working with disconnected homeless youth

Holy Macro!Big picture thinking on

and lessons from working with

disconnected homeless youth

AAI (Adolescents Achieving

Independence )( IV-E funded system

outclient youth living in foster care/own home in Lehigh, Northampton,

Carbon and Montgomery Counties )

RHY TLP(FYSB funded non

system youth living in VYH scattered sites with

IL Resident Advisor)

Mother/Father & Babies

(FYSB funded [MGH] non system youth & County

child welfare funded system youth living in

VYH scattered site with IL Resident Advisor)

REAL (Realistic Environment for Adult

Living)County child welfare & juvenile justice funded for system youth living in VYH scattered sites staffed with Resident

Advisor)

SHP (Supportive Houeing Program)(HUD funded for non-system youth living in

their own scattered site apartment)

IL Program Staff73 FT & 28 PT staff in 6

program offices throughout eastern PA and providing residential and

outclient IL services in 150 scattered sites.

SIL (Supervised Independent Living)(County/child welfare

funded for system youth living in their own

community scattered sites)

Lehigh Valley SHP(HUD funded housing for

non system youth living in their own scattered site

apartment)

Achieving Independence Center

(AIC)(Philadelphia DHS funded

one-stop IL program providing educational ( ),

health (Planned Parenthood), housing,

mentoring, training, etc.)

The IL program has its own clinical therapists that provide counseling services to youth in each component.

2012 Valley Youth House Independent Living Program Continuum

Some Quick DefinitionsDisconnected Youth = an noninstitutionalized young person between 16 – 19 (or 24 depending on the study) who is detached from BOTH school and work. 7% - 10% meet this definition annually.

Homeless Youth =

an unaccompanied youth (12+ years of age) who is without family support andwho is living on the streets,in cars or vacant buildings, who is “couch surfing” or living in some other unstable circumstances. Approximately 2.8 million youth annually.

Lesson 1

Nothing successful happens overnight.

For programs and youth alike it is an evolutionary journey that requires a

reasonably firm foundation on which a series of successes validates

achievement.

Lesson 2

PLAN PLAN PLAN!!!Planning affects all aspects of a program from

design and curriculum development to client goal setting and managing relapse.

Know where you are, know where you want to go, expect and plan for the unexpected, and

know there are some things you will miss along the way.

Lesson 3

If you can’t engage them, you can’t work with them! (that goes for 

everyone)

“Been there, done that”is not as good as

“can go there and will do that!”

Lesson 4

You are never alone.No matter how new or sophisticated

you are there is ALWAYS another program or person who has already

been wherever you are, is where you are going, or knows someone

who can help.

All you have to do is ask.

Lesson 5

Never underestimate youth clients.

They are usually more skilled and knowledgeable than staff in many areas (such as resistance, making

impossible things work, or the “Hail Mary” tactic.

Pay attention, they have a lot to teach us.

Lesson 6

Know the difference between eligibility and acceptability. While many youth may meet eligibility requirements, there may be other

issues that can prevent their success.

CorollaryKnow the difference between “screening

out” and “screening in”. You want to be a “screening in” program.

Lesson 7Young new staff are often learning their own life skills at the same time they are teaching them to youth

clients.

Be patient with them.

Lesson 8

Do not confuse STYLE with MODEL. Style is an issue related

to people. Model is design.

Staff implement models. They need room to be resourceful and flexible within the boundaries of the model.

Lesson 9Resolution of non-specific (clinical) independent living issues is often a

better predictor of long-term success than skill acquisition.

The baggage youth bring can

be viral and infect their best

intentions and your goals.

Pay attention to their unfinished emotional and family business.

Lesson 10Independent living is

always an anxiety producing and terrifying

experience for youth clients regardless of how prepared they appear to

be.

Lesson 11

Embed Positive Youth Development in everything you do (program, staff, and organizational

culture).

It will save you time, it will inspire your staff and youth and it will eliminate many of the problem issues found in traditional youth-

serving organizations.

Lesson 12

Transparency is your friend.

Own the things that you are responsible

for (even if you really messed-up).

Lesson 13The road never ends as long as you are willing to

travel on it.