The Utah Housing Coalition, an NLIHC state partner, hosted “Youth Day on the Hill” on Wednesday, December 12. The event focused on teaching youth basic advocacy skills and the importance of using their voice in the legislative process at the state capitol in Salt Lake City. The event included 91 youth who are actively experiencing homelessness, have experienced homelessness, or are involved in the foster care system, along with 35 social service professionals who work as case managers or program coordinators for youth.
The advocacy day event is the result of ongoing dialogue between Utah Housing Coalition staff and youth who are experiencing homelessness or aging out of foster care. At a workshop earlier this year, many youth with lived experience expressed a desire to be able to advocate for themselves rather than rely on professional staff at service agencies to carry their message forward.
The youth and the social service professionals were separated for the majority of Advocacy Day as a way to communicate and understand the different points of view between program administrators and youth who receive services, but also to encourage youth to speak freely and not feel that they would potentially be admonished or penalized by a case manager if they said something with which the professionals did not agree.
The day started with an Advocacy 101 workshop and was followed with a discussion on the barriers youth face securing housing or shelters, completing K-12 education, or accessing healthcare. The conversation both illuminated challenges and brought forth policy recommendations. Among the policy initiatives that youth advocates and the Utah Housing Coalition will pursue in the coming legislative session is a requirement that school districts implement policies to award partial and transferring credits to high school students who transfer frequently due to tenuous housing situations. Another proposal would require institutions of post-secondary education to appoint a liaison for homeless students and youth aging out of foster care.
Professional staff were together all day and were able to foster a new dialogue in an advocacy context. The professionals discussed the barriers that their clients confront. Creating space for the professionals to speak freely about critiques of the system helped shed new light on problems and provided a clearer understanding of policy solutions and practical approaches that can make an impact. One of the policies important to staff is giving minors the right to consent to shelter when not accompanied by their parents. Requiring the consent of adults can push young people back into abusive environments.
Beyond the policy conversations, Advocacy Day featured a motivational presentation from a formerly homeless youth who explored the power of sharing one’s personal story. There was also a workshop about narrative storytelling, and professionals were introduced to a Renter Toolkit to help them better assist youth be successful new renters.
Moving forward, the youth advocates will partner extensively with Representative Elizabeth Weight (D), who will introduce legislation to address youth homelessness in the 2019 legislative session. Many of the new advocates are planning to continue to be involved as the legislature reconvenes and will share their stories during committee hearings and other policy discussions.
“Taking the time to directly involve young people who have lived experience is so valuable to the strength and future of our movement to end homelessness,” said Tara Rollins, executive director at Utah Housing Coalition. “Legislators value hearing these impactful stories, and they need to be at the core of our advocacy.”
For more information about “Youth Day on the Hill,” contact June Hiatt, Utah Housing Coalition director of policy and advocacy at: [email protected].