No Youth Alone

Many people struggle to imagine what it would be like to lose a home, much less what it would be like to be a teenager in the world alone. Homeless youth face challenges that will likely affect their lives forever. They must secure food and shelter, find a job or return to school. Often, they are unclear where to seek help and who they can trust.

Thousands of youth across Illinois know what homelessness is like. A 2005 state-funded study found that there were almost 25,000 youth in Illinois who experience homelessness each year. About one-third surveyed said that family conflict was the reason they became homeless. Other common reasons included physical or sexual abuse by a parent or family member. Three in five youth said they had been the victims of violence during the past 12 months.

In 2007, CCH conducted a study showing that housing and support services succeeded in helping overcome youth homelessness. Approximately 87 percent who exited homeless youth programs in fiscal year 2007 moved into safe, stable housing. Conversely, programs were forced to turn away 52 percent of the youth population – 3,088 total individuals – who sought help due to an insufficient number of shelter beds. More than one-third of funding to Illinois youth providers has been reduced since fiscal year 2008.

CCH has advocated for the needs of unaccompanied youth since it first organized a Youth Committee of service providers in 1983. Comprised of 31 organizations in Chicago, the suburbs and downstate Illinois, our No Youth Alone campaign advocates for policies and programs serving homeless and unaccompanied youth. Youth attorney Beth Cunningham also facilitates a weekly group for street youth that’s met for seven years at the Broadway Youth Center. Advocacy by the HELLO group includes a 2010 meeting with Mayor Richard Daley (shown in the photograph above).