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Many schools and community organizations are not aware that
there are.homeless children and youth attending their local schools
Homeless youth
in particular tend to be invisible and may not consider
themselves.homeless Local PTAs can hold educational forums and
highlight the facts
.about child and youth homelessness in their communities They
can,educate students school personnel and community organizations
about the
rights of homeless children and youth to attend school and
participate.fully in school activities
,As the number of homeless children and youth increases the work
of the.homeless education liaisons becomes that much more difficult
Although
,every school district is required to designate a homeless
education liaison .in many districts the homeless education liaison
is wearing multiple hats
Local PTAs can establish contact with the homeless education
liaison in.their district and find out the specific needs of their
communities When
,surveyed homeless education liaisons were enthusiastic about
working.with their PTAs to provide greater support to homeless
students
Homeless youth are at particular risk of dropping out and may be
invisible. ,in their communities Often school personnel are aware
of youth at risk of
( )homelessness or currently on the street coach surfing yet
they lack the
.resources to provide assistance Local PTAs can work with
schools to
:provide some or all of the following:Essential practical
supports
, ,Access to showers lockers and laundry facilities
A safe place to study after school and to store books and
schoolsupplies
, , , ,Funding for uniforms backpacks field trips sports
equipment calculators
Personal hygiene supplies
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A Research and Policy Initiative of the( )CRB and the ( ),CSL
with funding from the
.California Wellness Foundation
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, , , ,Gift cards for grocery stores and food hair cuts gas
books movies
, ,Bus passes transportation vouchers carpools
, , ,Clothing particularly coast and warm clothes shoes and
sleeping/bags blankets
,Information about emergency shelters food banks and
communitysupports
:Powerful interventions to change lives
Mentoring and sponsorship of individual students who
arehomeless
Job training and employment opportunities
- ,Practical life skills support how to manage money balance
acheckbook
,Assistance obtaining copies of records birth certificates
social, ,security cards medical records school records
,Advocacy for staying in school support exploring educational
andcareer opportunities
,Assistance filling out college and job applications applying
forfood stamps and public health insurance
Providing host homes for homeless youth until they graduatefrom
high school
Preventing child and youth homelessness is a much more
effectivestrategy for ensuring these children and young people stay
in school thanintervening after . -they have lost stable housing
School based programs
-can provide an opportunity for adults to provide assistance to
at risk children and youth and their families before .they end up
homeless Local
- ,PTAs can establish contact with existing school based health
mental, - ,health after school family resources centers to provide
additional
,assistance and funding and they can also work with schools
andcommunities to bring needed services to ,school sites since that
is where
.these children and youth are
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,For information about the California Homeless Youth Project
please, , (916) 653-8722contact Shahera Hyatt Project Director at
or
shyatt@ . .library ca gov.
-For information about the McKinney Vento Act and the rights
of,homeless children and youth to attend school please contact
the
( ) 800-308-2145National Center for Homeless Education NCHE at
orsee their website . . /www serve org nche
,For information about homeless education liaisons please
contact Leanne
, ,Wheeler California Department of Education
916-319-0383,[email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.serve.org/nchehttp://www.serve.org/nchemailto:[email protected]:[email protected]://www.serve.org/nchemailto:[email protected]
