AYA Youth Collective
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Mission Statement
A.Y.A. Youth Collective creates communities, rooted in belonging, for youth experiencing instability to own their future.
About This Cause
At our drop-in center, basic needs (i.e. showers, laundry, food, hygiene items) are met and trust is built with AYA staff, allowing youth the opportunity to engage in various supports like vital document recovery, education and employment resources, transportation, housing assessment and referral, and culturally appropriate therapy, health care, and wellness activities. AYA’s 8 homes provide 26 units of safe, stable, and supportive housing with 2 dedicated to parenting mothers and 1 for youth who identify as LGBTQ+. Youth pay $300 per month in rent and utilities, with an opportunity to receive a scholarship towards their rent and security deposit upon moving out. Youth sign leases to foster ownership and responsibility of the property. On-site House Mentors provide guidance as youth navigate real-world situations, such as employment, money management, and fostering healthy relationships while creating a sense of community through weekly house dinners and holiday celebrations. AYA believes that youth are the experts of their own lives and that each person makes the best decisions they can with the options they see for themselves. Providing a streamlined, one-stop-shop for youth to engage in services and be connected to housing resources is crucial in changing the trajectory of their lives (Slesnick et al., 2009). And affordable housing options with appropriate support services are proven to directly reduce dependency on emergency shelters, state benefits, hospital emergency rooms, and food pantries. Our harm-reduction approach creates ample opportunity to reduce risk through education and access to safer sex items and non-judgemental and engaging conversation around numerous “difficult” topics (i.e. gang involvement, pornography, religious practices/beliefs, etc). We do not expect to immediately be trusted confidants but rather we show up consistently, creating spaces to try new things and “fail” without judgment.