Neither foster care nor homelessness are isolated issues. They both intersect with numerous social issues—including each other.
For example, homelessness is a contributing factor to why many children end up in the child welfare system, and it’s also a risk factor that can impact youth who are already involved in or aging out of foster care.
Of the 173 youth and young adults currently on the Coalition for the Homeless’s list for Houston, approximately 25% of them have been involved in foster care in some capacity.
Today, we are grateful to have two guests joining us for a conversation on this crucial topic. We sat down for a discussion with Quana Smith, the Manager of Youth Programs at the Coalition for the Homeless (CFTH) in Houston and Harris County, and Danielle Stephen, a passionate young adult who is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of young people experiencing homelessness.
In this episode, you’ll hear some of the reasons why youth and young adults are facing homelessness, key ways to offer circumstance-changing support, the importance of a caring adult who will go the extra mile, and much more.
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Key Takeaways
- Seek to understand their entire story. Youth and young adult homelessness is a broad issue with no one-size-fits-all solution. There are many factors that contribute to homelessness, such as a lack of resources, the inability to access those resources, an absence of support from friends and family, and much more. Because of these factors, many youth and young adults find themselves couch surfing, bouncing around from shelter to shelter, or living in encampments. In order to serve our vulnerable neighbors well, it’s important to get to know their history so we can address their specific situation and help them access key resources.
- Many people come out of the child welfare system unprepared to navigate the real world. Homelessness is a more complex issue than simply securing a job to pull oneself out of dire circumstances. For youth and young adults, even if they have a job, they often cannot secure an apartment alone due to their age, nor do they know how to navigate the system. Youth aging out of foster care, in particular, sometimes lack the knowledge and skills to navigate the adult world they suddenly find themselves in—because they never had the privilege of a trusted adult explaining these things to them. Simple things that we might take for granted, like filling out an application, can present large hurdles to vulnerable young adults, which can be hard to face on their own.
- Youth and young adults who experience homelessness need the guidance of a caring adult. For these young individuals, age is just a number. Simply because they are 18, 21, or even 25 years old doesn’t mean they are able to navigate the world with clarity and confidence. Too often, these individuals feel as if they have no choice but to try and figure things out on their own until they hit rock bottom. What makes all the difference in the world is having a caring adult who is willing to come alongside them and advocate for what they need.
Resources
- Learn more about Coalition for the Homeless
- Thanks for listening! Use code “TBRIpodcast” to get $5 off when you sign up for an Introduction to TBRI session. If you work personally or professionally with children who have experienced adversity, learn more about TBRI on our Trauma Training page.
Meet the Guests
Quana Smith is the Manager of Youth Programs at the Coalition for the Homeless (CFTH) in Houston and Harris County. With over 13 years of experience working alongside vulnerable youth, Quana brings both frontline knowledge and system-level insight to her role. She’s been with the CFTH for more than three years, where she leads initiatives that are focused on youth homelessness, prevention, transitional housing solutions, and the strengthening of youth voice. Before joining the CFTH, Quana spent a decade working directly with youth in the foster care system. She developed a unique understanding of the challenges they face as they age out. Quana is passionate about building bridges between systems – child welfare, housing, education, and employment – to ensure that young people don’t fall through the cracks.
Danielle Stephen is a passionate young adult who is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of youth and young adults who are experiencing homelessness. With her invaluable lived experience, Danielle serves on the Way Home Youth Action Board and the steering Committee. Through her advocacy and leadership, she inspires change and strives for positive outcomes, lending her voice to amplify the needs and challenges faced by vulnerable youth.