Fall is officially here, which means we have said “goodbye” to summer. Before we bid adieu, the members of the Young Adult Leadership Committee (YALC) would like to share what we have been up to for the last few months and then give you a glimpse into where we are heading next.
YALC is a critical component of Philly’s homeless services system. Bringing youth with lived experience of homelessness to the table helps make the system better. There’s always work to be done. Still, we’ve made some progress. And we’re just getting started.
What we’ve recently accomplished
Strength in Numbers
Fall began with an extensive recruitment and training process, resulting in seven new YALC members. We bonded over trips to Dave & Buster’s, evaluated progress, and began drawing out our vision for the future. We are excited about what’s coming down the pipeline — keep reading to find out more.
United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) visit to Philadelphia
Delegates from the USICH — a group of officials from multiple federal agencies that are each, in some way, connected to homelessness — sat down with us to brainstorm ways to strengthen the federal government’s new strategic plan on homelessness. We had the opportunity to share our thoughts on preventing and responding to youth homelessness. It was an honor to be recognized by our federal partners who were sincerely receptive to our criticism and open to our recommendations.
Capitol Hill Day
We headed south to Washington, D.C., to make some noise as advocates with lived experience. It was a big weekend for us, and we are proud of literally making our voices heard.
Simultaneously, YALC member Jessie Keel was named a fellow of True Colors United. In this role, Jessie will work to implement innovative solutions to youth homelessness that focus on the unique experiences of LGBTQ young people. Kudos!
And YALC member Liam Spady made his way to the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations where he thanked legislators on their commitment to solve youth homelessness by increasing the Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) funds.
What’s next for YALC
Let’s talk: We’re holding a youth summit!
On Friday, November 22, we are hosting a youth summit, Authentic Youth Inclusion in Policy & Practice: Homelessness in Philadelphia. The summit focuses on how young people overcome systems that are supposed to help but instead cause confusion or in the worst cases, add stress or trauma. There will be a raffle, food, music, and enriching, enlightening activities, including:
- Simulation: Walk a mile in a young adult’s shoes and experience what trying to access social services can be like.
- Panel discussion: Dialogue to identify opportunities where governments and partner organizations can learn about practices, resources, and strategies that can help prevent and respond to youth and young adult homelessness.
Authentic Youth Inclusion in Policy & Practice: Homelessness in Philadelphia
Friday, November 22 | 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
The Hive @ Spring Point | The Graham Building
30 South 15th Street, 4th Floor
Register online
Thinking Big
This year, we have decided to make education and employment our top priorities as we work to permanently end youth homelessness. If you have not heard, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed a new state law which allows foster kids to attend college tuition-free. The Fostering Independence Through Education Act waives tuition for public, private, community colleges and state-related schools, beginning with the fall 2020 semester.
We will work to get more private universities to participate, advocating for our peers. The transition to college from foster care can be an emotional experience, and we want to show our support. Stay tuned for more updates on this front.