RHY ATLANTA

Supporting Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) in the Downtown Atlanta Areas

Who We Are

RHY seeks to provide capacity building through training, seminars, and direct supportive assistance for service providers to ensure that all spaces serving housing unstable youth. Through our street outreach program, we aim to connect with these young individuals and offer them access to resources, services, and information to help them overcome their challenges and achieve their full potential. Ultimately, our organization aims to create a one-stop shop in the heart of Downtown Atlanta where youth experiencing housing insecurity and homelessness can access services.

What We Do

RHY performs consistent community asset mapping and review to compile lists of services for youth experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity. Partnering with a variety of community organizations and stakeholders in Downtown Atlanta, RHY also performs weekly street outreach efforts to connect with youth living on the streets. In addition, RHY provides free-of-cost trainings to local organizations interested in training staff who interact with youth experiencing homelessness.

Why We Do It

When experiencing homelessness, youth are more likely to encounter a wide range of experiences such as mental health issues, substance abuse, criminal activity, the juvenile system, sexual assault, victimization, survival sex, unsafe or unprotected sex leading to pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases, difficulty completing a high school degree, difficulty pursuing post-secondary education, and more (National Network for Youth, 2021; The Trevor Project, 2022). According to the most recent Point-in-Time (PIT) national estimates from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the total number of unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness in shelters and on the streets was 34,703 in 2023, reflecting a 15% increase from the previous year. However, RHY acknowledges that certain groups within the youth population are particularly vulnerable to homelessness and face additional challenges and risks. 

A dual movement of change needs to be enacted: current programs providing homelessness services need to engage in cultural humility training and programs aimed specifically at providing services to homeless youth need to be implemented with greater frequency. RHY recognizes this duality and aims toward working to build spaces for homeless youth while simultaneously providing currently existing services the training needed to become a safe space for those youth.

References

Our Affiliations