Homeless Youth Connection

Homeless Youth Connection (HYC) is proud to report a number of accomplishments related to program goals including 95% of youth experiencing homelessness who participated in the program, stayed in school and completed their education. This past year, HYC experienced an increase in the number of youth identified as homeless and referred for services. Since August, 716 youth experiencing homelessness have participated in the program this year; that is 116 more than the goal of serving 600 youth.In May, 463 youth were actively participating in the program. Of those youth, 162 were high school seniors. Of the 162 seniors, 126 graduated, one youth obtained their GED, 33 youth are attending summer school or will enroll in the fall and two youth are undecided. It is widespread among this vulnerable population to have many youth enroll for a second senior year. Of the 126 graduating seniors, 98% enrolled in college, entered the workforce, or enlisted in the military. This success was accomplished because of HYC's goal to lower caseloads so that youth coaches were able to spend more time with youth addressing their needs related to education, housing instability, and important for their sustainability helping the youth develop a plan for post-graduation that creates lasting solutions for the future.This past year, Homeless Youth Connection (HYC) was given an incredible opportunity to continue to expand its resources and services to youth experiencing homelessness in our community. Through a partnership with Catholic Charities, HYC relocated its administrative office from the West Valley to Central Phoenix. The newly remodeled facility is a 7,000 sq ft congregate living that provides up to 20 beds in single-floor dormitory-style accommodations. There are ten rooms with two beds and a shared bathroom per room. There is a shared kitchen, community area, and laundry accommodations. This program is centrally located in Phoenix, providing close access to public transportation, employment, and schools. This site is supervised by trained and qualified staff full-time and offers a rich array of programming and life skill development opportunities. In November, HYC received a $1M grant from the Arizona Department of Housing to purchase a home in Flagstaff for transitional housing for unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness. The home is a single-family unit that will provide safe and stable housing for up to seven youth. The home is located close to three high schools in the Flagstaff Unified School District. Similar to the home in Goodyear, there will be a resident manager living on-site for safety and supervision and a part-time resident assistant that will assist on the weekends. The home also has an office for the Flagstaff youth coach and community engagement manager, as well as a separate area for donations.