Based in Venice, California, Safe Place for Youth (otherwise known as S.P.Y.) was established in 2011 by a group of dedicated volunteers and founder Alison Hurst.
From their cars, Hurst and several volunteers were offering hot food, clean socks and other clothing to homeless youth around Venice Beach. What began as a humble volunteer effort has became an official nonprofit organization with nearly 30 staff members, specifically aimed at helping homeless youth, ages 12 to 25.
They offer drop-in services (such as sleeping bags, bus tokens, food, clothing, Internet, housing referrals, and much more), case management, street outreach, health services, as well as arts, education and employment programs.
According to the Los Angeles Housing Services 2017 Youth Count report, there are nearly 6,000 homeless youth on the streets of L.A. on any given night. When asked how they became homeless, nearly 60% had either been kicked out by a parent or caregiver or runaway from unbearable home environments that include physical and/or sexual abuse, homophobia or transphobia, or parental mental illness or substance abuse. 23% reported previous involvement in the foster care system.
We spoke with Cody Metzger, Development Associate at Safe Place for Youth, about what the organization is doing to aid L.A.’s youth experiencing homelessness.
Q: Can we solve homelessness? Or to what degree are we just controlling it?
SPY:Yes, we can [solve it]. But it will take the community at large stepping up and doing its part. Homelessness is a result of systemic problems, many of them deep-rooted in our country’s culture. But we can solve it. This is why SPY was founded, to address the problem amongst our youth to prevent individuals from becoming chronically homeless.
Q: What are the primary driving factors that perpetuate homelessness?
SPY: There are many factors that perpetuate homelessness, but some of the main ones are lack of affordable housing, lack of proper mental health care, flaws in our educational system (individuals who have not completed high school are more likely to wind up homeless, in jail or both), income inequality, and just a general lack of resources for our society’s most vulnerable.
Q: How does domestic violence impact the number of teens seeking shelter?
Or what other issues are youth facing before they become homeless?
SPY:Domestic violence can play a substantial role on teens becoming homelessness. Almost all of the youth we serve at SPY have faced some form trauma.
23% of the youth we serve have indicated experiencing some form of domestic violence. 26% of our members indicate being current or former foster youth. We see many youth who were literally kicked out by their foster family on their 21stbirthday. Additionally, many of the youth we serve have parents who are also homeless or have severe mental health and addiction issues.
Q: Are there particular issues that teens experiencing homelessness face?
How does SPY focus on or address these specific needs?
SPY: Young people find themselves homeless or at-risk of homelessness through no fault of their own, and they are among the marginalized and underserved youth in our community.
Youth experiencing homelessness deal with a complex set of issues related to disconnection from family and community, abuse and neglect, significant past trauma, grief and loss, mental illness, and criminalization. This typically translates into few prospects for education, employment, or social participation and can manifest into psychological distress and trauma.
As one of the fastest growing homeless populations, youth require unique housing and support services that are responsive to their developmental needs as young adults as they learn to care for themselves, gain life experience, and transition to adulthood.
Q: What are the items that SPY needs the most? What would you like to tell
people about your donated goods program?
SPY: We are always in need of new underwear, socks, and T-shirts. Ideally, we would like to a find a company to commit to donating these goods on a recurring basis, so we never run out.
Q: Many Angelenos are very concerned about the steep rise in homelessness
in the few years. What is the number one thing that you want L.A.to know about homelessness?
SPY: There is hope and you can make a difference more than you know!
It doesn’t have to be as black and white as serving a meal or writing a check. People can incorporate their own unique skills into how they give back. One example that comes to mind: We recently had a volunteer come to us and let us know that he is a freelance filmmaker. Sure enough, our Volunteer Appreciation Week rolled around and we decided we wanted to make a video. We asked this volunteer if he would donate his time and equipment to make a short video and he did! The video turned out beautifully and this volunteer is now in talks to teach a filmmaking workshop at SPY. Sure, he could have written a check (and we need that too!), but by being creative we found a way for him to give back in such a personalized way.
Our youth have so much potential and so much hope. We need our community to step up and take care of them because the system and often times their own families have failed them. When did it become okay for an 18 year old to sleep under the freeway?
For more information, visit: http://www.safeplaceforyouth.org/partners
To get involved and / or volunteer, email: codym@safeplaceforyouth.org