How Experiencing Homelessness Impacts Youth Development and the Journey to Adulthood

Today's youth and young adults are tomorrow's leaders, teachers, parents, and more. As the economy changes and the political climate shifts, many young people are being displaced. 1 in 10 youth between the ages of 18-25 experience some sort of homelessness. Youth

homelessness has many contributing factors such as family conflicts, sexual orientation, school problems, unplanned pregnancy and many more. Without community support, many young people are living without the essential resources and guidance needed to thrive as an independent adult.

Experiencing homelessness during the transitional ages of 18 to 25 years old can limit a person's exposure to examples of a productive life. The outcomes for many young people after experiencing homelessness often include mental health problems, substance use, victimization and criminal activity, unsafe sexual practices, and barriers to education and employment. Many young people find themselves feeling trapped in unstable circumstances because they never learned how to advocate for themselves, where to find community resources, or how to take care of themselves physically and financially. This sense of entrapment can contribute to feelings of hopelessness and untreated mental health conditions like depression. At Youth Improvement Services, we provide opportunities for youth and young adults to free themselves from the limitations of their circumstances by learning life skills that can help them to create and maintain stability for themselves. Our Earn While You Learn program covers necessary life lessons like financial literacy, sexual health, and career-readiness training.

Many young people must adapt to living unsheltered because this is their only option. After searching for places to sleep each night and having no support system, experiencing homelessness often results in our youth living on the streets and struggling to survive. It is completely unfair for youth and young adults to have to adjust to instability, especially considering their lack of knowledge on how to be a successful adult. Our ultimate goal is to identify youth who are going to need assistance with transitioning to adulthood, then provide a positive support system to avoid pitfalls that can derail their lives.