About YHDP
The Youth Homelessness Development Project (YHDP) was introduced to Central Washington in 2019. This program provides an innovative and youth-led approach to ending youth homelessness. Our team works with clients ages 12-24 to ensure they are stably housed and have the resources they need to move into a brighter future.
What makes YHDP special:
- Diversity and Equity - YHDP is founded on equity and diversity. It seeks to address any inequities in race, gender, orientation, and ability caused by the current systems.
- Youth Led - This is a system that young people will use in order to access housing resources, therefore, we believe young people need to be key designers of it. We have a youth lead on staff and a board of youth at the state level who makes program design and implementation reccomendations.
- Diversion Focused - Things change quickly and because of that, we inquire about natural support systems and available resources throughout our work with young people. It is never too late to divert a young person from the over-burdened, under-funded homeless system.
- Client Focused - Young people are resourceful and resilient. We are committed to empowering youth to use their natural resources and resisting the urge to “save” them. Instead we practice seeing them as partners in solving their housing crisis.
We Believe in Lowering Barriers to Resources
Young people are not screened out of coordinated entry based on any of the following criteria:
- Having too little or no income
- Having poor credit, rental history, or financial history
- Having involvement with the criminal justice system
- Having active or history of alcohol and/or substance use
- Having a history of victimization
- The type or extent of disability-related services or supports that are needed
- Lacking ID
- Lacking proof of U.S. Residency Status
- Other behaviors that are perceived as indicating a lack of “housing readiness,” including perceived resistance to receiving services