By Mo’Asia Ferrell
Teen homelessness is a major issue in today’s society. Teens are left with nowhere to go, house-to house, friends couches, etc. due to a variety of reasons. This issue affects teens, parents, communities within which teens reside, their peers, and teachers (people the teens interact with) at their high school. Often, the cause of teen homelessness ranges from teens who are under bad influences from friends, teens who undergo mental health problems, family issues, abuse, drugs, and no support in their day-to-day life. This is a significant issue in Rochester communities. I just went through this struggle myself; you’d be surprised at the number of teens this issue affects. Teens do not have the same privileges as 18+ so they need additional help and support with these types of issues. Also, their safety is at risk being out in the streets in the community with no help. We need to create housing options for them, schools need a crisis response plan if they are aware of a student being homeless, and we need to increase employment opportunities for teens.
1 Comment
Daniel Hart
3/31/2023 07:16:08 am
Thank you for being willing to share your story and help others understand the impact of the issue of teen homelessness. Rochester has one of the highest, if not the highest, rate of childhood poverty in the nation, meaning we have to do better. There are organizations right here that can help if anyone else is experiencing homelessness: Center for Youth (the Student Support Center) is one of them. We also have a food pantry. But these work to address the symptoms of homelessness, not necessarily the cause.
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