National Homeless Youth Awareness Month (NHYAM)
National Homeless Youth Awareness Month
As part of National Youth Homelessness Awareness Month, we want to educate others about youth homelessness both locally and nationally, share how we’re addressing it as an organization, and invite you to help support us in the work that we do.
Below is more information on ways you can support youth and learn more.
Find Bridge Media:
Through November, Bridge will be featured on digital, MBTA and street-level signage in the greater Boston area. This campaign is called #WhatISayWhatIMean, and is focused on sharing real quotes, directly from our youth, about their experience of homelessness.
A youth might say to a friend, “I like working overnight shifts,” but the meaning hidden behind their words is, “I don’t have a place to sleep at night.”
This powerful and personal campaign inspires us to learn more about youth homelessness and the young people it affects. These statements will appear on social media and all over Greater Boston, on trains, on buses, at transit stations, and more.
Keep an eye out for one of our signs, snap a picture, and tag Bridge on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter (@bridgeotw) to help us raise awareness for #NationalHomelessYouthAwarenessMonth!
Did You Know?
Interested in the facts from our Did You Know Series? Find the citations and more information here:
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Black youth have an 83% higher risk of becoming homeless, and Hispanic youth have a 33% higher risk.
Source: https://www.chapinhall.org/project/voices-of-youth-count/ -
LGBTQ youth are 120% more likely to become homeless
Source: https://www.chapinhall.org/project/voices-of-youth-count/ -
Unmarried parenting youth have a 200% higher chance of becoming homeless, perpetuating the cycle
https://www.chapinhall.org/project/voices-of-youth-count/ -
1,400 students in MA are homeless and unaccompanied – doubled from a decade ago
Source: https://www.wgbh.org/news/local-news/2020/03/02/number-of-homeless-unaccompanied-youth-in-mass-soars-even-as-many-go-uncounted -
40-50% of foster youth become homeless within 18 months of aging out of foster care
Source 1 : https://nsoro.foundation/
Source 2: https://www.fosterfocusmag.com/articles/foster-care-and-homelessness
Learn More:
Listen:
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The Bridge Over Troubled Waters Podcast. Learn more about Bridge programs and services from youth, members of our team and Bridge partners.
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Check out the special National Homeless Youth Awareness Month episode, “Raising Awareness for Homeless Youth” with Liberty Mutual Foundation President Melissa MacDonnell here.
Watch:
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Bridge Virtual Events from 2021
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November 10, 2021: Mental Health Matters: Providing access to specialized support for youth experiencing homelessness
Hosted by Peter Ducharme, LICSW, Clinical Director and psychiatrist David Beckman, MD, MPH -
November 17, 2021: The Importance of Community Building: Lessons from the Bridge experience
Hosted by former Bridge youth Jamie and Bruce and Chris Read, LICSW, Independent Living Program Clinician -
November 23, 2021: Youth-Centric and Trauma-Informed: Creating safe spaces for youth experiencing homelessness
Hosted by Rachel Ellingson, LICSW, Clinical Supervisor and Courtney Gibeley, Residential Counselor
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American Street Kid – A Feature Documentary. Follow filmmaker Michael Leoni on his journey with homeless teens in Los Angeles as they share their stories and illuminate the reality of an experience with homelessness as a young person. Watch the trailer and find ways to watch here.
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Watch Bridge’s 2020 Virtual Event: In November 2020, Bridge Over Troubled Waters hosted our first-ever virtual event in recognition of National Homeless Youth Awareness Month.
Read:
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Voices of Youth Count. Explore national research on youth homelessness and how timely events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, are impacting youth experiences.
Test Your Knowledge:
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Take our National Homeless Youth Awareness Month Quiz to help raise awareness and understanding for youth at Bridge. After you’re done, make sure to share the quiz with your family and friends!
Bridge Partners
Check out our partners! During November, Bridge’s partners in Massachusetts and around the country are coming together to raise awareness for youth experiencing homelessness. See below for more information:
