If you know anything at all about homelessness and those who work to end it, you know that the National Alliance to End Homelessness has been at the forefront of the effort for years. For many of us on the streets providing services in our local communities, their conference is the granddaddy of all conferences. If you're able to attend only one conference a year via your employer's dime, this is the one that most folks wait to attend.I missed last year's festivities but by goshin, I'm on my way to the NAEH conference this morning!
And this time, *holding breath and pinching self to make sure I'm not dreaming* I'm actually going as a presenter at this incredible conference for the first time. I'll be working with two other co-presenters as we put on the following workshop:
6.8 Improving the Response to Youth In and Out of the Juvenile Justice SystemMany homeless youths have been involved with the juvenile justice system, or are at risk of involvement. Presenters will profile strategies to de-criminalize behavior of youth living on the street, engage youth to promote safety and stability, and identify mentors within and outside of the juvenile justice system. They will also cover methods of helping youth with records navigate systems in order to get housing, employment, legal, and service needs met.I recall thinking when I first attended this conference years ago that the folks who put this conference on are at the top of the food chain when it comes to being listened to and respected for their opinions on issues related to homelessness and poverty. That I've been asked to present at the conference is probably the biggest honor I've had since being asked to join The Center 4 Social Innovation full-time last year (and right around this time, too!).
I can't tell you how nervous but excited I am to be a part of this conference in such a unique way. Hell, I still get nervous in the presence of many of my colleagues at C4SI, but I know that is my own baggage from years of being beat down while on the streets and mired in abject poverty. Those old memories and the abuse to the self-esteem is like herpes; once it has happened to you, it stays with you for the rest of your damned life.
So I'm flying out shortly to Washington DC and will be facebooking and tweeting my way through this conference to keep those who care informed enough to know what they are missing.
I'm sure there will be plenty of fodder for blog-posting as well and I cannot forget to find and forward some additional resources to my friend Michael over at SloHomeless as well, since he's on a great campaign to raise awareness about the causes of and solutions for homelessness. Please swing by and check him out when you have a moment, you won't be sorry.
Hope to see some of you reading this at the 2011 NAEH Conference. For those who are missing it, all I can say is "I'm sorry."
State of Homelessness in America 2011
REPORT | 11 JAN 2011
FILES: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY | PDF | 3 PAGESSTATE OF HOMELESSNESS IN AMERICA | PDF | 48 PAGES
Since the release of Homelessness Counts: Changes in Homelessness from 2005 to 2007, the Alliance has chronicled changes in the levels of homelessness in the nation and in individual states and communities to chart our progress toward the goal of ending homelessness. This comprehensive examination not only reveals national and state level homeless counts, but also delves into economic indicators and demographic drivers – taking an in-depth look at risk factors for homelessness. Built upon the most recent nationally available data from the federal Departments of Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, Justice, and other public information sources, this report analyzes the effect the recession has had on homelessness and how it has contributed to an increased risk of homelessness for many Americans.
Major Findings
The State of Homelessness in America report consists of four major sections. Chapter 1 chronicles annual changes in overall homelessness and homelessness among families and other subpopulations. Chapter 2 demonstrates how economic risk factors, including unemployment, have increased during the recent economic recession. Chapter 3 identifies some specific populations, including doubled-up people and youth aging out of foster care, that are at increased risk of homelessness and documents trends in the sizes of those populations. Chapter 4 identifies a series of states, including California, Florida, and Nevada, that face multiple risk factors for worsening homelessness. Key findings for each of those sections are presented here.Major Findings
Key findings of the report on homelessness: (due to formatting issues, please visit the site for the rest of this article, and so much more!)
