The Homeless Youth

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Homeless Youth Definition

In the USA, a homeless youth is an under-21-year-old unable to live safely with family or relatives. Such an individual has no alternative mode of accommodation either.

Interesting, surprising, and shocking facts about the young and homeless

Aside from this data, the Voices of Youth Count at the University of Chicago gives us some very interesting facts about homeless youth.  Consider the following:

• One out of every 10 young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 experience some form of homelessness, with no parent or guardian, for over a year
• 29% of homeless youth suffer from drug and substance abuse
• 69% of homeless youth suffer from mental health issues
• 33% of these youthful individuals were once part of a foster care institute
• 50% of homeless youth are in jail, in detention, or charged with juvenile offenses
• 27% of LGBTQ+ homeless youth have been forced to exchange sex for basic needs, as opposed to 9% of non-LGBTQ+ having to do the same
• 62% of LGBTQ+ homeless youth report facing physical harassment, as opposed to 47% of non-LGBTQ+ youth facing the same
• There is a strong correlation between the absence of a high school diploma and the risk of youth homelessness

Homeless youth - the “hidden population”

Homeless youth are invisible to the masses. For years, they have been under-counted and abandoned. They have had to hide in empty buildings, cars, and motels. They have even had no choice but to trade sex for the most basic of essentials in life. Before 2010, public awareness about homeless youth was barely enough. It started increasing, however, once the Obama administration created a plan to end youth homelessness by 2020. One of the most significant goals here was to get better at collecting data on homeless youth.

Yet another reason the homeless youth has been so invisible is that it’s difficult to track them. They don’t always sleep on benches or the street. Sometimes they might have a place to sleep, but they don’t know how long they can stay there.

Then there is the fact that federal agencies have different definitions for youth homelessness. This means that many people ignore some homeless youth because those individuals don’t fall under their definition of youth homelessness. For instance, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) only counts youth living on the streets, in a shelter, or cars at a specific point. Advocates argue that HUD’s definition ends up excluding a million unsheltered youth.

For these reasons, the homeless youth is the hidden population of the USA.

Why young people are homeless

The factors responsible for youth homelessness fall into three distinct categories: domestic problems, economic problems, and residential uncertainty.

Domestic Problems

A significant number of homeless youth face years of sexual and physical abuse in their homes. They also suffer from poor relationships, neglect of parents, and addiction problems within the family. A dysfunctional family is an enormous factor behind young people leaving their homes. Studies show that 46% of homeless youth suffered from physical abuse in their homes. Meanwhile, 17% report that they had to escape because they were being forced to engage in unwanted sexual activity by their families.

Economic Problems

Poor financial conditions contribute to youth homelessness as well. Financial crises within families can result from a lack of affordable housing, a lack of employment opportunities, meager wages, no medical insurance, and insufficient welfare benefits. When these families go homeless, their youth end up getting separated from them. This is usually done by shelters, transitional housing, or child welfare organizations.

Residential Uncertainty

It is no surprise that a lack of stable accommodation plays a huge role in youth homelessness. Consider the fact that people brought up in the foster care system have a higher chance of being homeless at a younger age. Some young people become homeless because their foster care centers discharge them, with no housing or employment support. According to a study, over one in five homeless youth were part of a foster care institute.

How to prevent minors from becoming homeless

It is important to understand why minors are homeless if we want to help them. This can only come about as a result of initiating dialogue with them and empathizing with them. Sometimes, the only reason minors are homeless is that they can’t pay the rent. It can also be something as simple as the inability to pay for utilities or install a lock. In such cases, we must help them however we can. We can either make a financial donation to them or help them out with their accommodation problems.

Many homeless minors are survivors of sexual abuse in their homes. This means they leave their guardians because they feel threatened by them. Once again, all they seek is a safe place they can call home for the long term. If you think you can adopt or house such individuals in your home, you must consider doing so. Otherwise, you can get in touch with a good shelter that you think will be perfect for them.

Homeless youth has immediate needs that must be addressed to make them feel safe. Even if all you can do is donate to a charity or a pilot project, that contribution will go a long way in addressing these needs.

Important laws regarding homeless youth in the United States

The following are some of the most important pieces of legislation drafted for homeless youth in the United States:

• The Runaway Youth Act of 1974, which focuses on the unaccompanied homeless youth
• The McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act of 1987, which calls upon schools to get rid of all barriers that prevent a student from attending classes
• The Chaffee Foster Care Independence Program, which provides states with funds to support youth in the foster care system
• The Fostering Connections Act of 2008, which boosted federal funds for states to extend services like housing support and counseling to homeless youth