Services
Street Outreach
Building Trust
On average, teens are homeless for nearly seven months before receiving stable housing and services. The longer youth stay on the streets, the harder it is for them to exit street life permanently. It is important to make a connection with kids in their first 90 days on the streets.
The Street Outreach Team is on Seattle’s streets five or more nights a week talking to youth about shelter options, educating youth about community resources, making health clinic runs, handing out snacks, clothes and hygiene packs and administering minor first aid. Youth know they can they can receive these services without questions, helping to build a tradition of trust. The Street Outreach Team focuses on building rapport and trust with youth.
Contact:
Phone: 206.622.5555
Street locations (Outreach Van)
YouthCare’s Street Team vans maintain a presence five afternoons and evenings per week downtown, on Broadway, and in the University District of Seattle. Two evenings per week, street youth are transported to primary care clinics. The Street Team distributes food and drink, blankets, clothing, health and hygiene supplies and educational materials.
Exiting Street Life
Ultimately, it is YouthCare’s goal that youth exit street life. The Street Outreach Team first ensures that youth are safe and begins to build trust. After immediate needs are met and trust develops, long-term solutions to leaving street life are addressed. Often, youth are connected with the Orion Center where they can obtain case management and educational and training opportunities to become self-sufficient adults.
Community Connections
YouthCare’s Street Outreach program is successful due to collaboration with key community partners including Friends of Youth, ROOTS, Street Youth Ministries, University District Youth Center (UDYC), Peace from the Streets by Kids from the Streets (PSKS), Lambert House, the 45th Street Clinic, Country Doctor, University Street Ministries, New Horizons, MPowerment and others.
