Homeless Youth

We have also seen a new type of homeless youth that does not fit the usual definition. It is the" couch surfing youth" who has been thrown out of their home and they move in with friends and change their address frequently and the homeless youth that is perhaps sleeping under a bridge or and abandon shed or storage shed and continues to attend school.

We should take a careful look at these individuals and admire their determination to have a better future. They rely strongly on their academic environment to provide them with food, clothing as well as hygiene. Many take their morning shower in the locker room at school and their cloths get washed by school personnel.

While this can be viewed as admirable it is far from being the way we should expect our youth with no family to have to sustain themselves.

Taken from testimony delivered by Arlene McNamee LCSW, Executive Director, Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc.

See Testimony from 2013: Unaccompanied Homeless Youth (pdf), July, 2013

 See Testimony:  MCC (pdf)  Catholic Social Services (pdf) and Pilot Article