Positive Youth Development
The Powerful Ingredients of the Lived Experience of Young People in Supporting RHY
As a collaborative group of youth and young adults, the Youth Catalyst Team is excited to partner with the National Clearinghouse on Homeless Youth & Families (NCHYF) and the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) to share our insights on RHY services in a regular posting. We are a group of leaders, ages 16 to 24, who use our knowledge, skills, and personal understanding of systems and services to advance the youth services field.
Trauma-Informed Care for the Full Range of RHY Services
Trauma-informed care is increasingly recognized as a best practice for serving young people who have experienced homelessness. Very often young people endure multiple types of physical, psychological, and emotional maltreatment or abuse, resulting in “complex trauma” that researchers have associated with significant mental health problems including depression, anxiety, PTSD, suicidal ideation, and substance abuse. Research indicates that RHY organizations should provide trauma-informed services that thoroughly screen, assess, and serve youth to identify and address trauma.
The Power of Mentoring
National Runaway Prevention Month is a time for all of us in this field to take stock of our work and the approaches we take to help at-risk youth. The Latin American Youth Center in Washington, D.C., emphasizes mentoring as a way to connect with young people and show them their potential.
Get to Know a Grantee: Sea Haven
Every month, the RHY Clearinghouse highlights the work of RHY grantees through the Get to Know a Grantee questionnaire. For this edition, we spoke with the executive director of Sea Haven in Myrtle Beach, SC. Sea Haven has secured and maintained FYSB grants for more than two decades and has successfully sustained program services during periods when FYSB funds were not available.
Community Mapping Connects Youth to Their Neighborhoods
The nonprofit organization buildOn uses "community mapping" to familiarize young people with their neighbors and inspire them to help.
