Youth Action Board
Are you between the ages of 14-25?
Have you, your friends, or family ever couch surfed?
Have you been impacted by the foster care system?
Have you been impacted by the juvenile justice system?
Do you take interest in advocating for change in our community?
If you’ve said yes to any of these questions, YAB may be the place for you!
Our Mission:
Coming together to be the voice of homeless and at-risk youth, building connections, spreading awareness, and advocating for action to impact youth facing housing disparities.
Who we are:
The Youth Action Board became a standing sub-committee on the San Joaquin County’s Continuum of Care on July 22nd, 2021.
A Continuum of Care, also known as a CoC, is a program developed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 1994 to promote community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness.
2/3 of our members are 24 years old and younger with lived experience as it relates to homelessness.
What we did in 2022:
- Made 6 recommendations to the CoC on allocation of funding specific to youth homelessness
- Transitional age youth centered focus groups & listening sessions
- Street outreach & community outreach
- Spoke on the “Youth Homelessness in the Central Valley” Panel for the Blue Shield of California
- “Light the Night” Mixer to spread awareness for Homeless Youth Awareness Month
- Facilitated a Panel at the California Coalition for Youth – Youth Empowerment Summit around “The Barriers of Transitioning Youth into Independent Living”
Our plans for 2023:
- Support senate & assembly bills with the intention of positively impact the lives of youth & young people to prevent homelessness (examples: SB 234, SB 823)
- Educational presentations for service providers and the clients that they serve
- Create 2 comment letters in efforts to improve the trauma informed cared and cultural competency within the foster care system and juvenile justice system
Did you know that?
- 4.2 million youth experience some form of homelessness in the USA every year
- Youth, regardless of their gender, are solicited for sex on average, within 72 hours of being on the street
- In November we celebrate Homeless Youth Awareness Month! Remember to wear GREEN to show your support! Here’s how we’ve celebrated the last two years:
