I've had the opportunity to work with and get to know a number (too many) of LGBTQ youth who have found themselves experiencing homelessness. According to some studies, thanks to things like family persecution, LGBTQ youth are much more likely to experience homelessness.
We are proud to be part a part of the Alliance's National Advisory Council on LGBTQ Homeless Youth and working with a number of organizations on this important.
I encourage you to please, take the time to look this information over. Especially if you are working with young people in any way.
If you'd like to discuss this topic with others and follow it more closely, I invite you to join NYAC's Homeless LGBTQ Youth Advocates Network.
Dear Community-based Organizations Serving the LGBTQ Community:
I write on behalf of the National Alliance to End Homelessness (Alliance) to seek your assistance in advocating for increased community awareness and public investment in ending homelessness for LGBTQ youth.
In America, annually there are hundreds of thousands of LGBTQ youth who will experience at least one night of homelessness. Tens of thousands will experience long-term homelessness facing exploitation and violence in street environments. The prevalence of LGBTQ youth among homeless populations is alarming in a resource rich country like the United States. Not only is there disproportionate representation of LGBTQ youth among homeless populations, but these youth experience greater physical and sexual exploitation while homeless than their heterosexual peers. In addition, their personal histories of severe family conflict, abuse, neglect, exploitation and homelessness occur during the critical human developmental stage of adolescence as they transition into adulthood.
Complicating the individual trauma experienced by LGBT youth, the supply of shelter, housing, and services for LGBTQ homeless youth remains grossly insufficient. For fiscal year 2009 the federal government appropriated $115 million through the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act. In 2008, federally funded street outreach programs made over 740,000 street contacts with youth. However, less than 50,000 homeless youth had access to a shelter bed and less than 4,000 homeless youth were served through transitional housing programs. Most communities have no resources (shelter or housing) for homeless youth, and many cities have a tremendous deficit of resources.
Homeless LGBTQ youth are present in every state and are searching for connections to caring and loving adults. The social crisis of LGBT youth homelessness will require the dedication of the LGBTQ communities and their allies. There is a role for the LGBTQ community to play in ending youth homelessness. A role for advocacy, a role for sustained giving to youth services, and a role in reaching out and building relationships with vulnerable queer youth. LGBTQ adults have a role in ensuring that vulnerable, homeless youth are not assaulted in street environments and not recruited into the commercial sex industry through strip clubs and prostitution. Agencies must ensure that their practices and policies support culturally oriented or culturally competent approaches to LGBTQ homeless youth. Finally, LGBTQ community organizations should include advocacy for youth housing and supportive services as part of their commitment to the broader community.
The solutions to ending homelessness for LGBT youth will require community planning and investment. We would encourage your organization’s participation in local advocacy efforts for homeless youth. Additionally, LGBTQ community groups can lend their voice to Congressional leaders on the importance of expanding opportunities for this vulnerable population. If you wish to join our effort, please feel free to provide your organization’s name and contact information to: Rich Hooks Wayman at rhookswayman @ naeh.org.
In order to address this social crisis the Alliance has established the National Advisory Council on LGBTQ Homeless Youth. The National Advisory Council includes national and local nonprofit organizations dedicated to advocating for increased support for LGBTQ homeless youth. To further our goal of increasing community awareness, we have published three new documents in partnership with Lambda Legal, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the National Network for Youth:
1. National Recommended Best Practices for Servicing LGBT Homeless Youth
2. Incidence and Vulnerability of LGBTQ Homeless Youth – Research Brief
3. A National Approach to Meeting the Needs of LGBTQ Homeless Youth
We hope that you will share these materials with your members, highlight them in your newsletter or correspondences, or make them available at community outreach events.
This social condition is not so large, that concerted community intervention and public investment could not end youth homelessness in the 21st century. We look forward to working with you to end homelessness for LGBTQ youth.
Sincerely,
Richard A. Hooks Wayman
Senior Youth Policy Analyst
rhookswayman @ naeh.org
www.endhomelessness.org
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