Street Outreach Program

At the Orion Center in Seattle, young people learn yoga, rock climbing and knitting. They make greeting cards and mosaics, and play guitar or drums during jam sessions with professional musicians. But Director Ruth Blaw is quick to emphasize, “We’re not a rec center.”
In NCFY's latest podcast, we talk to Maggie Piatt, a 19-year-old who travels the country playing accordion on the street and living out of her van. Just don't call her "homeless;" Maggie rejects that word and its implications, and isn't looking for help from youth workers or shelters.
Meet Maggie, a 19-year-old traveling the country in her van. Refusing the label "homeless," Maggie tells her story and describes her current life. And then street outreach worker Jai Somers explains how programs can support young people in Maggie's situation. Time: 8:27 | Size: 7.9 MB | Transcript
Dr. Nik Stefanidis has been working with traumatized youth for years. He recently co-authored Trauma Informed Consequences for Homeless Youth, which distills his research on the subject. He talked with NCFY about the report.
Dr. Nik Stefanidis has been working with traumatized youth for years. He recently co-authored Trauma Informed Consequences for Homeless Youth, which distills his research on the subject. He talked with NCFY about his work.  Time: 4:14 | Size: 3.96 MB
The latest report to Congress on the Family and Youth Services Bureau's Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs is now available. The report covers fiscal years 2008 and 2009. Report to Congress on the Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs for FYs 2008 and 2009 (PDF, 2531KB) FYSB home page Runaway and Homeless Youth Programs
“Better to Bend Than to Break: Coping Strategies Utilized by Substance-Abusing Homeless Youth” (abstract). Forthcoming from the Journal of Health Psychology; published online October 7, 2010.
Syndicate content
National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth | P.O. Box 13505 | Silver Spring, MD 20911-3505 | (301) 608-8098 | ncfy@acf.hhs.gov