Nationwide, an estimated one in 10 young people will experience homelessness this year. Locally, Pathfinders is one of a few organizations providing emergency housing and support for homeless youth.
Now, the organization is finding solutions to youth homelessness with help from the people who best understand the problem — young people themselves. The Power of Paths Youth Action Board is comprised of young people, 11 and older, who have experienced homelessness. They share recommendations based on their personal experiences.
The board was featured in this month’s Milwaukee Magazine.
Zatyra “Zee” Hull is president of the board. When she turned 18 and was kicked out of the house by her adoptive parents, she leaned on Pathfinders for shelter, therapy and clothing. Today, Pathfinders is leaning on her as well, drawing from her expertise to create a program for youth exiting the foster care system.
“I think I was one of the first young people that actually helped them create the program for young people who are aging out of the system who have no support,” says Hull.
Recently, Pathfinders received a $3.1 million grant to implement solutions that the board recommended — including investments in emergency housing and child care support for young parents looking to continue their education.
Pathfinders’ Chief Programs Officer DeShanda Williams-Clark says input from the board is instrumental in tailoring grants to the specific needs of homeless youth. She also says that people often make unfair assumptions about these young people — assumptions that ignore the vicious cycle of poverty and often stem from seeing homeless youth as adults.
“When it comes to young people, there is always this ‘adultist’ way of viewing them,” she says. “And so, when you are seeing young people that have nowhere to go each day, it’s just easy for people to assume that, ‘Oh, they’re just not listening’ or, ‘They’re just not good kids’ or something along that line, when in reality it’s deeper than that.”
