Program launched for young women at risk of homelessness

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Funds raised from the Wearable Art Show will help start a new program intended to reduce the risk of homelessness for young women in Jefferson County.

A $20,000 two-year start-up grant from the Fund for Women and Girls will help launch the program, called “Preventing Homelessness,” which is designed to reach young women ages 16 to 19.

The program is a partnership between Dove House Advocacy Services and the Jefferson County Juvenile and Family Court.

Research, interviews and polling done by the Fund for Women and Girls identified the countywide affordable housing shortage as the area where the Fund’s contribution could have the most helpful impact, according to a press release.

Through a combination of classes to build skills and self-esteem, financial assistance to obtain resources, job and housing search assistance and more, Juvenile Family Court and Dove House officials are hoping to prevent young women from becoming homeless and increase their ability to remain housed.

Focusing on self-esteem-building is a way to help young women learn how to interact in social situations successfully, such as applying for jobs or talking with landlords.

“When jobs are scarce, who are the ones who will get the interview, who will get hired?” said Bekka Bloom, development administrator for Dove House. “You have to learn how to represent and advocate for yourself and believe in yourself, that you can do this.”

But beyond training in self-esteem and skill building, the program will also have funds to provide financial assistance, “basically helping them with whatever they need,” Bloom said.

That could mean anything from applying for a social security card, buying a computer to do job applications, or a phone to be able to make and receive calls.

The program administrators will also work with local property owners and managers to “educate them about renting to young adults,” the grant application states.

The program developers propose enrolling eight to 15 young women over the course of the two-year grant, beginning in January of 2020.

It won’t be difficult to find young women to join the program, Bloom said, since Dove House sees many youths come in for services.

Dove House operates a shelter for domestic violence victims and has been providing free, confidential advocacy and housing-support services for more than 20 years.

“We’re excited about this because we’ve served youth in the past and we’re grateful to have the funding to provide even more services,” Bloom said.

Meanwhile, the Juvenile and Family Court works daily with youth at risk of homelessness through many of its programs and interventions.

A key component of the program will be focusing on connection with Jefferson County’s Proctor House, a juvenile detention center, in order to assist girls in transitioning into a strong safety net of community support.

“Of the kids we see go through the Proctor House, I would say about half are at risk for homelessness,” said Barbara Carr, administrator with the Jefferson County Juvenile and Family Court.

The program will be able to help young women who come to the attention of the court system, but don’t necessarily qualify for existing programs. It will also help to pay for costs associated with programs such as the Real World Readiness program, that partners with the Northwest Maritime Center to teach young people skills for transitioning into being independent.

Because of the shortage of affordable housing in Jefferson County, 16- to 19-year-olds are emerging into adulthood facing “great challenges in finding a place to live that they can afford, while going to school or working minimum-wage jobs,” the grant application states. In addition, they say landlords may be reluctant to rent to young adults who do not yet have a rental history or references.

Youths who are homeless are at risk for substance abuse, poor mental and physical health, becoming victims of physical, emotional and financial crime and abuse including human trafficking.

The funds are expected to be distributed at the end of the year, and the program will begin in January, Bloom said.