Avenues For Youth

THE MISSION OF AVENUES FOR YOUTH (AFY) IS TO PARTNER WITH YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO ACHIEVE THEIR DREAMS. WE DO THIS BY PROVIDING SHELTER, SHORT TERM AND TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES FOR YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN A SAFE AND NURTURING ENVIRONMENT. THROUGH SUCH SERVICE, AVENUES SEEKS TO HELP YOUTH ACHIEVE THEIR PERSONAL GOALS AND FIND A POSITIVE TRANSITION INTO YOUNG ADULTHOOD.

DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2023, AVENUES FOR YOUTH CONTINUED TO STRENGTHEN ITS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES IN RESPONSE TO THE CONTINUED GROWTH IN YOUTH HOMELESSNESS AND THE COMPLEXITY OF YOUTH NEEDS. AFTER A SLIGHT REDUCTION IN CAPACITY TO NAVIGATE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, BY THE END OF JUNE 2023, AVENUES HAS RETURNED TO FULL CAPACITY. PART WAY THROUGH THE YEAR THE TWO EMERGENCY OVERNIGHT BEDS IN THE SHELTER PROGRAMS, WHICH WERE CLOSED IN ORDER TO HAVE THEM AVAILABLE TO SERVE AS ISOLATION SPACE FOR ANY YOUTH TESTING POSITIVE FOR COVID-19, WERE ALSO RE-OPENED. IN A TYPICAL YEAR, APPROXIMATELY 100 YOUTH USE THE EMERGENCY OVERNIGHT BEDS FOR AT LEAST ONE NIGHT.

SEE SCHEDULE OCOMMNITY-BASED PROGRAMS AVENUES FOR YOUTH COORDINATES ONE COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM IN WHICH MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY OPEN THEIR HOMES TO YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. YOUTH MAY STAY WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS FOR A FEW NIGHTS OR UP TO A YEAR. THE CONNEQT HOST HOME PROGRAM IS A COMMUNITY AND VOLUNTEER-BASED INITIATIVE THAT MATCHES YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AGES 16 - 24 WITH VOLUNTEERS IN THE COMMUNITY RECRUITED, SCREENED AND TRAINED BY AVENUES. CONNEQT SUPPORTS YOUTH WHO IDENTIFY AS GAY, LESBIAN, BISEXUAL, TRANSGENDER AND QUEER. THEIR HOSTS ARE LGBTQ THEMSELVES OR ALLIES. THE PROCESS OF MATCHING YOUTH AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS IS YOUTH-DRIVEN. WHILE LIVING WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS, YOUTH RECEIVE ALL BASIC NEEDS AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH THEIR CASE MANAGER AND OTHER SPECIALISTS ON OUR TEAM TO IDENTIFY AND ADDRESS THEIR LONGER-TERM PERSONAL GOALS. THE HOSTING ARRANGEMENT IS OFTEN LIFE-CHANGING, BOTH FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND YOUTH. THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO PROVIDE YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS WITH THE STABILITY, SUPPORT AND COACHING THEY NEED SO, WHEN THEY LEAVE THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS' HOMES, THEY HAVE A VISION FOR THEIR FUTURE AND ARE BUILDING THE SKILLS AND RELATIONSHIPS NEEDED TO PURSUE THAT VISION. SIMULTANEOUSLY, WE ARE FOSTERING CONNECTIONS AND BUILDING COMMUNITY. DURING FY23, CONNEQT SUPPORTED NINE YOUNG PEOPLE IN HOST HOMES. OF THE FIVE YOUTH WHO MOVED OUT OF THEIR HOST HOMES, 100% MOVED INTO STABLE LIVING ARRANGEMENTS. THIS IS A VERY STRONG OUTCOME, EXCEEDING OUR GOAL OF 75%, AND SPEAKS TO THE HARD WORK OF OUR STAFF, HOSTS AND THE YOUTH PARTICIPANTS. ANOTHER 16 LGBTQ-IDENTIFIED YOUTH RECEIVED INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT SUPPORT BUT DID NOT DID NOT LIVE IN HOST HOMES DURING FY32. ADDITIONALLY, 46 YOUTH RECEIVED SUPPORT THROUGH DROP-IN AND OUTREACH.IN FY23, AVENUES MADE THE DIFFICULT DECISION TO CLOSE THE ABULE PROGRAM. ABULE WAS CREATED TO SUPPORT AND HOUSE YOUTH WHO IDENTIFY AS BLACK, INDIGENOUS AND PEOPLE OF COLOR (BIPOC). IN FY19 AVENUES FACILITATED LISTENING SESSIONS WITH BIPOC COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CREATE A PROGRAM THAT WOULD BEST SUPPORT YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS FROM THESE COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM AIMED TO PAIR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS TO SHARE SPACE, WHILE BUILDING COMMUNITY AND CENTERING SHARING POWER. RECRUITMENT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO SHARE SPACE WITH YOUTH WAS PUT ON HOLD BECAUSE OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM WAS TO SUPPORT 10 YOUTH ANNUALLY. HOWEVER, THE ABULE PROGRAM WAS PAUSED FOR SEVERAL MONTHS DURING FY22, DUE TO THE DIFFICULTY IN FINDING COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILLING TO OPEN THEIR HOMES TO YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC. ULTIMATELY, THE ABULE PROGRAM WAS CLOSED AT THE BEGINNING OF FY23 AS IT WAS DETERMINED THAT COVID AND GEORGE FLOYD'S MURDER FUNDAMENTALLY ALTERED THE COMMUNITY LANDSCAPE. COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO PREVIOUSLY ENGAGED IN WORKING WITH AVENUES ON ABULE WERE UNDERSTANDABLY EXHAUSTED AND FOCUSING THEIR ACTIVISM AND VOLUNTEER TIME IN OTHER DIRECTIONS, MAKING IT EXTREMELY CHALLENGING TO HOUSE YOUTH IN THIS NEW MODEL.

SEE SCHEDULE OAVENUES FOR YOUNG FAMILIES RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAMAVENUES FOR YOUNG FAMILIES SUPPORTS HOMELESS-YOUTH LED FAMILIES. THIS "RAPID REHOUSING PROGRAM" SUPPORTS YOUTH-LED FAMILIES BY HELPING THEM LOCATE AN APARTMENT IN THE COMMUNITY, PROVIDING TEMPORARY RENT SUBSIDIES AND WRAPPING COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES AROUND THE ENTIRE FAMILY TO GIVE THEM A STRONG START TOWARD INDEPENDENT LIVING. RENT SUBSIDIES ARE PROVIDED BY A GRANT FROM THE US DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT. DURING FY23, AVENUES SUPPORTED 21 YOUNG FAMILIES, INCLUDING A TOTAL OF 21 ADULTS AND 27 CHILDREN. OF THE SIX HOUSEHOLDS WHO EXITED THE PROGRAM, 100% ACHIEVED STABLE HOUSING. THIS STRONG OUTCOME LED AVENUES TO PLAN FOR EXPANSION OF THE PROGRAM IN FY24.