As we head into autumn, we head into the fourth annual Homeless Youth Census (HYC), an integral part of DC’s efforts to end and prevent youth homelessness.
To start off this year’s HYC, the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness, in collaboration with the Department of Human Services, is holding a Youth Count DC Kickoff Event at the Lincoln Theatre this Friday!
What is the Homeless Youth Census?
In May 2014, the DC Council passed the End Youth Homelessness Amendment Act, funding an expansion of accessible youth-friendly services. The Act also mandated an annual census of District youth experiencing homelessness to address the lack of consistent and reliable data. The Homeless Youth Census (HYC) is an annual count and survey of unaccompanied minors and transition-aged youth experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
How Does Doing a Census Help End Youth Homelessness?
An annual census allows us to see if agencies and community partners are on track in the expansion of services to youth–and whether further investment is needed. This data allows us to make the case for expanding needed services.
Conducting the census on an annual basis enables the District to track data and trends over time, which can shed light on the interventions and support needed to stem the tide of youth homelessness. The census process and its results strengthen advocacy efforts to annually secure the public funding necessary to reach the District-wide goal of ensuring homelessness among unaccompanied minors and transition-aged youth is rare, brief and non-recurring by 2020.
Who is Counted?
Through surveys conducted by street outreach professionals, in drop-in centers and meal programs, and though other community partnerships, the HYC collects information about demographics, housing and homelessness status, and more across the following youth populations:
- Unaccompanied Minors (under the age of 18) living apart from their parents or guardians, excluding those in the physical custody of the District
- Transition-Aged Youth (age 18-24) who are “economically and emotionally detached from their parents and who are unstably housed”–including unaccompanied Transition-Aged Youth and Youth Heads of Households
Who are:
- “Literally Homeless” Youth who are residing on the street or in emergency shelter and transitional housing situations; or
- “Housing Insecure” Youth who are residing in non-permanent housing situations, including “couch-surfing” and “doubled up”, which are often identified as risk factors for experiencing literal homelessness
How Can I Help?
The HYC equips youth, advocates and service providers with vital knowledge about youth in crisis. Each new community partnership helps to expand that knowledge and work toward ending the crisis.
The 4th Annual HYC is set to take place District-wide September 21-29, 2018:
- For HYC survey sites and more information, including how you can be counted if you are a youth experiencing homelessness, please visit www.youthcountdc.org.
- For more information, contact Elisabeth Young, Analyst, at the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness: EYoung@community-partnership.org.