Friends of Youth 3/23/2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

mental health concerns or criminal histories that impact their ability to obtain employment. Most have limited work experience and have not completed their high school education. We recognize that long-term success in housing and employment are interconnected. Accordingly, our clients work with both an individual Case Manager to achieve life skills and permanent housing goals and an Employment-Focused Case Manager to develop the skills they need to successfully maintain good jobs. Our Employment-Focused Case Manager completes a comprehensive assessment of each resident's job readiness, training interests, education level and life skills. They then work closely with the resident to develop goals and action steps toward a living wage job, vocational training, or college-level education focused on high demand jobs. We work with our clients to access job listings and job-seeking skill development programs at the Everett WorkSource office. However, we have found that the high needs and low work experience levels of homeless young people often require a more intensive and personal intervention to help them build confidence and learn how to act in the workplace. Support during interviews and long-term, on-the-job support are critical components of our Employment-Focused Case Manager's work, ensuring that our clients become self-sufficient by finding good jobs and keeping them. (d) Life Skill Classes, Financial Coaching and House Meetings: Clients participate in life skills classes on a variety of topics, including budgeting, grocery shopping, basic cooking, household maintenance, domestic violence awareness and healthy decision-making. They also increase their financial literacy through financial coaching provided by our Case Manager. Additionally, all clients attend monthly house meetings where they build a sense of community and learn positive interpersonal skills. At these meetings, the Case Manager facilitates group discussions to help clients improve emotional and strategic coping skills. Topics include: respecting neighbors and roommates; recognizing each client's personal need for space or time alone; and the importance of self-care (including healthy eating, getting enough sleep, walks and talking through their problems with their Case Manager). (3) Who is Served (Target Population): Prior to entering New Ground Everett, our clients are homeless, either living on the street, in a camp or in their car, staying in an emergency shelter or staying temporarily with family or friends (couch- surfing). All of our clients are between the ages of 18 and 21 when they enter New Ground Everett. (4) How and When the Service will be Provided: Housing and supportive services are provided on site at New Ground Everett, located at 1734 121st Street SE in Everett. Clients are referred to the program through Cocoon House as part of Snohomish County's Coordinated Entry System. Clients may stay up to 18 months. (5) Service Providers: New Ground Everett's supportive services are coordinated by our on-site staff, including a full-time Case Manager, a part-time Employment-Focused Case Manager, a live-in resident manager and weekend relief staff. Our Case Manager works with clients throughout their stay at New Ground Everett to develop an ILP and make weekly progress toward goals, including obtaining permanent housing and building life skills such as better personal finance skills. Our on-site Employment-Focused Case Manager helps clients find jobs and provides them with on-the-job support to maintain their jobs. During the evenings, our Resident Manager offers supervision and support to residents and is available for emergencies. Relief staff provide supervision over the weekend and plan activities and group outings. Our Transitional Living Program Manager for Singles oversees New Ground Everett, and our Director of Homeless Youth Housing Services oversees all of our housing and supportive services programs for homeless youth. (6) Program Outcomes (a) Outcome 1: Clients who exit our program will move into safe/stable housing. A housing outcome is considered successful when the client moves into a residence that is safe and stable. Safe and stable housing includes moving into a market rate apartment alone or with a friend/family member, purchasing or renting a home with a friend/family member, obtaining public housing with or without a Section 8 voucher, moving into a long-term supportive housing program and moving into a college dormitory or Job Corps housing. Our target for this outcome is that 65% of our clients will exit to safe and stable housing, and we have consistently met this outcome with 82%, 76% and 81% in 2014, 2015 and 2016 respectively.