Effort is good example of neighbor helping neighbor

I have had calls and inquiries regarding community members wanting to reach out to our Valley’s homeless youth. Some want to know how they can help, others are ready to take in a homeless youth from the streets.

I am hesitant to have community members take in a homeless youth, and I explain my reasons for that hesitation. At this point in time, there isn’t any agency or formal group to organize a host home program. More importantly, there is not a training piece for those interested in being a host home for homeless youth. One has to be realistic in knowing that homeless youth come with their own challenges. A host home family will need to have the skills to deal with those challenges. Our primary goal is safety for all parties involved in this host home concept.

Those challenges are similar to those families that provide foster care for youth that have been separated from their biological parent(s) and have become under the care of a state agency. Also, those particular youth can be placed in a shelter because of their status with the state.

Homeless youth, without that status, have limited services available to them. In fact, a service to provide them with a safe and warm housing site is not currently a possibility for them. I believe, as do many of my colleagues working with homeless youth, it would be a disservice to give homeless youth a diagnosis, or label, if you will. That label could very well take away being able to empower themselves to begin their own recovery process from their life circumstances. Also, that label could follow one for some time and could close doors of opportunities later in life.

Those advocating for our homeless youth are seeing a viable path starting to develop for these kids. This could be a teen center or drop-in center that would provide an assessment of youths’ immediate needs (a safe place, food, shower or laundry), and a plan for their chances to improve their life choices. That plan could involve a short-term emergency bed on site until a trained host family could be set up for a placement. That host home would be a supportive family helping in a time of need and most importantly providing genuine care and concern.

Then, this youth can get to school or re-enter school, engage in counseling, (conflict mediate) if interested for possible re-unification with the family. Maybe they will seek work or training through local agencies and/or recovery groups to match their personal needs. This plan is only in the idea phase of development, with twists and turns before coming to fruition. If you want to be part of this exciting idea to provide for our homeless youth a different and more healthy future, please consider joining us.

The Mat-Su Coalition on Housing and Homelessness is presenting a neighbor-to-neighbor summit conference. There will be guest speakers and breakout groups with panel discussions. Our focus will be community solution to homelessness. We will be identifying existing resources or continuum of care and help create a sustainable solution.

It will be Dec. 13, from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Wasilla Curtis D. Menard Memorial Sports Center. Lunch will be provided. Please email: matsuhousing@gmail.com to reserve your spot. Thank you for joining the good fight!

Michael P. Carson is a board member for the Mat-Su Coalition on Housing & Homelessness and co-chair for Mat-Su Youth Housing Task Force.