A paycheck can start with a shovel, broom or a rake in hand

I have seen firsthand the common-sense actions addressing the urgent needs of a homeless youth taking place at MY House. I witnessed a young female being interviewed by a case manager. The ultimate outcome was to provide a path to self-sufficiency by securing a paycheck.

To paraphrase an old African saying, “When there is a bear in camp, you don’t debate the color!”

I see two problems by not adhering to this true and important adage. There is blame placed and a false understanding when we may very well know nothing of what led up to a youth’s homelessness. We must dispense with ideas that conclude homeless youth are lazy, druggies and dropouts.

Due to that thinking, we fail to commit, try a different approach to the problem, or do nothing. We do not maximize the productivity of our greatest resource, our youth, and unlock their full potential.

Unless we first change our own perspectives, our homeless youth will likely stay homeless. And, this issue will continue to damage our local economy. We are all stakeholders in this problem.

Let’s be honest, and fair. Not everyone has bootstraps by which to pull themselves up. And, if you have not been taught personal responsibility, the value of education and job skills, you may not be able to avoid unemployment, hunger and homelessness.

We have to engage in action and invest in ways up and out. These youth are depending on us.

As a community, we have to say aloud, “You are our own, we want to, and can, help you!” We need to rally and unite around an action strategy to actually address this pressing crisis of youth homelessness.

We have to start providing lifelines into their lives; as messy as they are. And, unfortunately, some just disappear into the abyss of the dark side of the streets. On the streets, they are sought out, groomed and used with total disregard for their souls, especially young homeless females.

If the problem is homelessness, the solution is housing, which costs money. So, if money is the answer, it starts with employment. And, with employment comes a paycheck.

Now, our action, as a community, needs to commit to strategies that have been successful. We have to update our approach, based on evidence of what works for youth. Then just do it.

Youth need real opportunities with options that they can relate to themselves. Those opportunities will have to incur personal responsibility, education, job skills and training, before employment is possible. Then, a paycheck comes their way.

We need to engage the trades, unions, and the private sector to take the lead into apprenticeships and training strategies for our youth. Our youth need opportunities to empower them to succeed. We need to provide re-entry educational programs for youth to move quickly toward a diploma, or training, and to employment.

Youth are less inclined to engage in self-destructive behavior if they have opportunities that relate to them. Also, the upside of employment is it increases lifetime earnings for the future.

That young female was very brave to walk in the door alone at MY House and ask for assistance. She came in dressed in sweat pants and a T-shirt. She just needed a set of clothes to wear at her new job.

She was couch surfing. She was using public assistance to take care of personal issues. She was upbeat about her new job. And, we congratulated her as she walked out the door with a small bag of clothes. I have never seen a homeless youth ever take more than they need out of the distribution area, whether it is clothes or food.

We need to provide our youth with empowering examples of caring, supportive and successful mentors. A deeper truth is for us to be interested in them as human beings. We need less discrimination, false ideas, or debating the color of the bear.

We can start with small smart investments with proven outcomes. And, we need to be open to new, creative and innovative programs. It will improve the lives of our homeless youth and ours as well.

One might say the bear is already in camp; so, before it gets any messier, it is time to take action and invest in our homeless youth. Please consider joining the good fight and call MY House at 373-4357.