Community Partnership for Youth Housing

1. Community Partnership for Youth Housing Background Shelton School District has the 9th highest student homeless count of all Districts in WA. 8% of students qualified as homeless in 2009-10 Mason County has no youth shelter or student/youth transitional housing. Mason County has many gaps in services for underserved youth.

2. Community Colaboration Presenting the issues to: Community Service groups (eg Rotary) Faith Based Community Child Welfare Local Legislators Continuum of Care School District Staff/Admin Recruiting student advocates (Mocking Bird Youth N Action

3. Creating a Youth Sub-Committee The Mason County Youth Housing Committee Recruiting stakeholders in Youth Housing Recruiting youth advocates Educating the group on existing models

4. Picking a Model • Host Homes: Long-term housing with a family with the support of a counselor/coach and additional services, sometimes including a modest stipend to offset some of the costs incurred for food and utilities. Generally, the youth has a preexisting relationship with the family. • Group Homes: Long-term housing with a group of unaccompanied youth who live together in a home dedicated to that purpose, usually with an adult providing supervision and counseling/coaching. • Independent Living: Long-term housing in scattered-site apartments where youth live independently, with the rent subsidized or paid by the sponsoring program, and usually with counseling/coaching. • Emergency Shelter: Short-term, emergency housing in a shelter designed for youth under age 18 or in a separate, youth-oriented wing of an adult shelter. High School + Housing = Success Patricia Julianelle NAEHCY Legal Counsel November, 2009

5. Pick a Service provider, and partners Look for an organization that already serves youth Liability insurance, licensing?? Fiscal Management?? Staffing?? Partner with agencies….eg… School District ESD Rotary

6. Resources. Housing + High School = Success Schools and Communities Uniting to House Unaccompanied Youth Patricia Julianelle NAEHCY Legal Counsel November, 2009 www.naehcy.org

7. Housing Options for Students in Transition (HOST): We’ll Get it Done. A Proposal for the Shelton Skookum Rotary Club We’ll make it fun.

8. The Problem: We’ll Get it Done. Last year, the Shelton School District tracked 333 homeless children and youth living in tents, cars, substandard housing, and/or doubling up with non-parent families.

9. The Opportunity: We’ll Get it Done. Collaborate to create a program serving homeless young adults 18-21 via a Rotary District 5020/Gates Foundation for the Homeless Partnership Matching Grant + Other Funding Sources

10. The Dilemma: We’ll Get it Done. Unite the partners , create a framework for the program, and submit a grant application in 5 weeks

11. Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Formalize the Collaborative Partnerships • Shelton Skookum Rotary (and Foundation) • Shelton School District • YES** (associated with SOCK) • Educational Service District 113 • Mason County Social Services • “Other”

12. Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Create the Framework for the Program • “Rapid housing” for ages 18-21 modeled in a Rotary Exchange Program • Support system for Students & Host Families • Commitment to complete diploma or GED • Education to end the cycle of homelessness and increase economic independence • Safety & mutual respect required

13. Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Initial Assessment of Risk & Liability • Informal/cursory review by a great legal mind • Authoritative review by Rotary International Risk Management Team • Recommendations by Insurance Counsel • TO DO: Strengthen “hold harmless” language

14. Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Create the Program Requirements / Students • Students must agree to background checks & school records release • Students must sign Host Student/Host Family Cooperative Agreement • Students must remain enrolled in school & complete all required education and advisory components • Students will work with social services to obtain food assistance, health coverage, and “other”

15. Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Create the Program Requirements / Families • Families must agree to background checks & home visit • Families must participate in orientation • Families must sign Host Student/Host Family Cooperative Agreement • Families must maintain homeowners + liability insurance

16. Progress: We’ll Get it Done. • “YES” will serve as program administrator • Must provide application, screening, support, and mediation services for Students & Families • Must serve as a centralized location for information on services for homeless students • Must work collaboratively with all partners • Must maintain liability coverage • Must follow-through with all Skookum fiscal management and reporting requirements Create the Program Requirements / Admin

17. Progress: We’ll Get it Done. Develop a Realistic & Proactive Budget • $30,000 Secured / TO DO: Distribution Plan • Program Administrator Secured • Modest compensation for families Included • Safety & security for all **Developing** • Education to end the cycle of homelessness and increase economic independence Included

18. CAN THIS REALLY WORK? We’ll Get it Done. “If you can’t feed 100 people, then feed just one.” -- Mother Theresa • Conservatively scaled (Serve 14 in First Year) • Support for Students & Families built in • Safety & academic success are the top priorities

19. TEST CASE We’ll Get it Done. “Don’t ask others to do anything you aren’t willing to do yourself.” -- Mother Rhonda • Mutually rewarding • Relief, warmth, joy, satisfaction, fun, etc., etc. • No guarantees: we’re dealing with people

20. Thank you! We’ll Get it Done. Kathy Haigh Jerry Obendorf Paul Everett Vince Himlie Rich Adamson Hauke Hansen Nancy Kissner l Denis Leverich Skookum Board

21. Contact: We’ll Get it Done. Rhonda Stone RSStone74@aol.com 360.486.4483 We’ll make it fun.