OPEN DOORS FOR YOUTH
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Mission Statement
Open Doors for Youth is a drop-in resource center in Elk River, Minnesota. We serve young people (16 through 23) who are currently experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Open Doors is a safe and welcoming place that meets the basic and immediate needs of youth (such as food, clothing, hygiene products, and meals) and offers service connections to help them achieve their personal goals in areas such as education, employment, well-being and housing support. Recognizing that each person has unique needs, experiences, abilities, and dreams, we meet them where they are in life and support them with the resources and services they need to move forward.
About This Cause
A COMMUNITY RESPONSE Communities across Minnesota are awakening to the reality of youth homelessness. Innovative programs have been operating for over twenty years in the Metro area. Experts agree however, the best approach is often to keep the young person in their “home community” and provide support and resources in a familiar setting. In Elk River, a small group of citizens decided to mobilize our community and establish a drop-in resource center for youth in need. Drop-in centers provide the opportunity for youth to access both immediate goods and services and more intensive services that lead to reintegration with the community. After years of researching, networking, and hard work, the vision became a reality. In March 2015, Open Doors for Youth began welcoming young people seeking assistance. OUR VISION Empowering youth experiencing homelessness to shape their futures as self-sufficient and thriving young adults. OUR MISSION To provide a safe place where youth (ages 16 through 23) experiencing homelessness can acquire basic needs and resources to become self-sufficient. OUR CORE VALUES/CONCEPTS We will mobilize the community to address youth homelessness and housing instability through advocacy and education. We will partner with local organizations, services, government entities, and volunteers to meet the needs of homeless youth. We will assist youth in setting goals, pursuing creative solutions, and removing barriers to self-sufficiency without judgment. We believe in our young clients and will nurture potential, promote dignity, and support bold steps by all. PROGRAM PHILOSOPHY From the moment youth walk into Open Doors for Youth, our interaction with them will be guided by the nine evidence-based, guiding principles to help youth overcome homelessness. The principles begin with the perspective that youth are on a journey; all of our interactions with youth are filtered through that journey perspective. This means we must be trauma-informed, non-judgmental and work to reduce harm. By holding these principles, we can build a trusting relationship that allows us to focus on youths’ strengths and opportunities for positive development. Through all of this, we approach youth as whole beings through a youth-focused collaborative system of support