Self sufficient youth?

Issue Brief: Homeless Youth

Homelessness does not discriminate. It affects all races, ethnicities, ages, and genders. Homelessness often is defined by living “on the streets”. The reality is homelessness encompasses more. It is the lack of a permanent residence; a place to call home.  In my opinion, every human being deserves a safe and stable place to call home. In 2012, 633,782 people experienced homelessness in the United States (Homeless Research Institute, 2013). Homelessness impacted 162,246 youth in the United States in 2012 (Homeless Research Institute, 2013). Locally, the count of homeless youth in 2012 was 685 in King County and 733 in Snohomish County (Curtin, M., Gibbard, M., Mclendon, H., Mizoguchi, D., & Shaw, M. 2012).

Our youth are some of our most vulnerable populations. Data shows that youth who are without a consistent safe place to live have suffered from sexual abuse, chemical dependency, and are diagnosed with some form of mental illness (Snohomish County Human Services Department, 2012). These individuals are already in need of various services and without access to a secure place to call home, the ability to address additional complex issues becomes difficult.

The causes of homelessness vary. Reasons can be as large as the Economic recession, high housing costs, unemployment, and low paying jobs. Another reason can be as specific as issues of chemical dependency and mental illness. (Dinitto, D & Johnson, D., 2012). Due to the multiple components, the existence of homelessness cannot be attributed to one factor. However, the element that can change is the availability, access, and affordability of housing.

The costs to those who experience homelessness are significant. Without a home, individuals often struggle with maintaining proper health. Issues such as hunger, malnutrition, self care, and hygiene all affect these health concerns. They experience physical ailments; lack of adequate safety, clothing, and lack of access to medical and dental care.

 If youth are unable to have a safe and stable place to call home, their ability to grow up to be self sufficient adults becomes limited. Often these youth will struggle to complete school. Without an address to put on a job application and without a high school education they will struggle to obtain employment and financially survive. This is not just a private issue and does not just affect the single person. Eventually this person will become an adult who may be in need of welfare, perpetuating the cycle of poverty, and perpetuating the need for more tax dollars to be spent.

In order to open the door for other possibilities, availability of housing and fulfilling the basic needs for those who are homeless will need to be addressed.  Ending homelessness will not be an easy task. It may not even be possible because of the complexities it embodies. Its solution is not simple. According to Snohomish counties plan to end homelessness, opportunities for housing needs need to be more present. Alongside with more housing options there is a need to have more career based services that will help an individual be able to attain the self sufficiency needed to maintain housing on their own.

***If you want to make a difference make sure your voice is heard. Call your legislators! If you live in Washington State visit this website to find out who your legislators are and their contact information http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/

If you are curious what it means to be considered self sufficient and standards that  I can support check out this website: http://www.thecalculator.org/

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My references should you want to know more:

Curtin, M., Gibbard, M., Mclendon, H., Mizoguchi, D., & Shaw, M. (2012). Count us in. King County’s point-in-time count of homeless young people [Data file].Retrieved from:  http://www.teenfeed.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Count-Us-In-2012-Preliminary-Report.pdf

DiNitto, D.M. & Johnson, D.H. (2012). Essential of Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Homeless Research Institute. (2013). The state of homelessness in America 2013 [Data file]. Retrieved from http://b.3cdn.net/naeh/bb34a7e4cd84ee985c_3vm6r7cjh.pdf

Human Services Department Snohomish County (2006). Every one at home now. “A strategy to end homelessness by 2016.” http://www.co.snohomish.wa.us/documents/Departments/Human_Services/EveryoneatHomeNow06.pdf

Snohomish County Human Services Department (2012). Snohomish County point in    time count of homelessness in Snohomish County [Data file].. Retrieved from: http://www.housinghope.org/housingIssue/documents/2012PointInTimeReport.pdf

First world problems

Have you noticed a trend toward what I lovingly refer to as "first world problem bashing". No? Well I have. I have seen it a few times on MSN news feeds, facebook, and heard people talking about their silly first world problems.

Yes I often find myself 'judging' those who have no idea how lucky they "have it". We mock ourselves when we complain our internet isn't fast enough, or that we have to drive to the store, or that we don't have the latest i-phone. We call those first world problems. Problems of the privileged. I beg to say those are not true problems. Those are nuances. Not problems.

I want to give problems a name. Yes we live in a privileged society. BUT plenty of problems exist. We are not as spoiled as we are led to believe. Don't agree... open your eyes, drive around.. compare the cost of gas and housing compare with the minimum wage. Then think about it. How many pay checks are you away from homelessness? IF you lost your job now, where would you be?

First world problems don't equal less painful or less real. They just look different.  Yes we in America have it great. And then we don't.  We pride ourselves on "American exceptionalism". Yet we really are not that different. The US stand apart from many nations in the idea that we believe we are some of the greatest promoters of human rights, yet we enable some of the largest human rights violations ever. (did you know the US did not sign the UN bill regarding human rights?? interesting...right?).

If you wonder what rights violations we break consider the following:
Slave labor exists in the united states. Don't believe me? look at privately ran prisons.

Where were your clothes made? Who were they made by? American products are often made in the few countries left that allow child labor. YES you endorse a four and five year old to work long grueling hours... whats that you say.. at least they are making an income... would you be satisfied with working 18 hours and making enough to barely feed yourself for the day??

Human trafficking... its a serious issue. The buying and selling of human beings. Don't want to be sold right? Well why allow others? Did you know Seattle, my beloved city, is the number one spot in the US for the purchase of human beings.

Homelessness and poverty- They exist and are very real. Our country keeps cutting budgets and our vulnerable people are falling through the cracks. These people are our mentally ill, homeless, our vets, our youth, and women. With less and less funding , less jobs, more costly education, expensive housing... our "privileged" country experiences a great deal of underprivileged individuals.

The basic right to health care: We still debate this. Why I do not know. Every human being deserves the right to health care with out the fear that being sick for e few days will cost them more than they could ever make in their entire life. Evey person. 

So if you find yourself saying you have a first world problem. Look around. Find a true first world problem and do something about it.

What you ask. That is up to you. Get creative. But I guarantee you don't need the next i-phone or another mac air computer. Give your extra time you would spend watching your favorite shows up, get out of your "world" and look around your community. There are many real needs. Its your job to do something. Stop waiting on someone else.