YOUTH ADVOCACY DAY!

Yellow Brick Road of Washington took a field trip up to Olympia for Youth Advocacy Day this year! We had a great time and represented healthy youth in the State of Washington. We'll see you all next year.

Hallinan Elementary School Supports Janus Youth!

The students at Hallinan Elementary School in Lake Oswego have supported Janus Youth Programs with an outstanding service project this month! Elizabeth Pilkington's students created 100 beautiful fleece blankets for our youth shelters Porchlight and Streetlight and they raised $400 for our Yellow Brick Road Street Outreach Program. THANK YOU for supporting our mission to improve lives and build futures!

NEW ARTICLE ABOUT JANUS YOUTH'S GROUNDBREAKING SHELTER FOR MINOR VICTIMS OF SEX TRAFFICKING!

As many of you are aware, Janus Youth Programs opened Oregon's very first shelter for children victims of sexual exploitation in December 2011. Please take a moment to read this thoughtful feature about our newest shelter for youth published TODAY in one of our city's weekly tabloids, The Portland Mercury.

YBR of WASHINGTON is NOW ACCEPTING VOLUNTEERS!

Yellow Brick Road of Washington and The Perch Drop-In Center are now accepting applications for volunteers! We have opportunities to assist our staff engaging with homeless youth in Vancouver, Washington between the hours of 9am-4pm. No experience is necessary but applicants must be over 18 and off the streets for at least one year. For more information and an application, please contact Dennis Lundberg at: dlundberg@janusyouth.org

NO SEVERE WEATHER

At this time the City of Portland does NOT anticipate a continuation of severe weather conditions for the remainder of the week. Local weather is not forecast to meet the criteria warranting opening of the Red Cross Emergency Warming Center at Imago Dei Church so the Imago Dei Church space will NOT be open tonight.

YBR outreach workers will be on the streets this evening to assist in directing unsheltered people to shelters. We will be stationed outside Imago Dei Church tonight from 8pm-9pm to redirect people to appropriate facilities and provide some emergency cold weather gear such as hats, gloves and hand-warmers.

If you have any questions please call 2-1-1 for more information. Bundle up out there!

SEVERE WEATHER ALERT: JANUARY 16th & 17th!

Severe Weather Notice is in effect in Portland, Oregon: The National Weather Service forecasts temperatures of 32 degrees and a high likelihood of snow starting at 4am on Tuesday (1/17) and these conditions are expected to persist through Wednesday (1/18) at 10am. Sleeping outdoors in this weather can be dangerous! Anyone seeking shelter information can dial 2-1-1 to receive direction. During this severe weather episode, 211info will be open for phone inquiries daily between 8:00am and midnight. Additionally, shelter information is available 24/7 at www.211info.org. In addition to existing year-round and winter shelter facilities, the following warming center facilities are available:

Severe Weather Emergency Warming Center (only open when a Severe Weather Notice is issued):

Red Cross Severe Weather Emergency Warming Center at the Imago Dei Church

1302 Ankeny Street, (near 13th Avenue in Inner SE)

This is a walk-in facility. Pets allowed, some space for carts, accessible location

Dates: Monday, January 16th - Tuesday, January 17th

Hours: 9:00 PM - 7:00 AM

Serves: Families, single adults, and youths

Family Winter Shelter (formerly Family Warming Center):

12505 NE Halsey Street, Portland Oregon (on Halsey near 126th Avenue)

This is a walk-in facility.

Dates: Seven nights a week throughout winter season

Hours: 7:00 PM - 7:00 AM

Serves: Families with children under 18 and women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy

Women’s Winter Shelter:

Check in at Transition Projects, 650 NW Irving,

Mon-Fri 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Sat/Sun 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM or call 503-280-4700 to check availability.

Dates: Seven nights a week throughout winter season

Hours: 7:30 PM - 7:00 AM

Serves: Single women

Men’s Winter Shelter:

Located at Salvation Army Harbor Light, SW 2nd and Ankeny,

This is a walk-in facility. Call 503-239-1259 for information.

Dates: Seven nights a week throughout winter season

Hours: 8:00 PM - 8:00 AM

Serves: Single men

Union Gospel Mission

15 NW 3rd Avenue, 503-228-0319

This is a walk-in facility.

Dates: Monday, January 16th - Tuesday, January 17th

Hours: 9:30 PM - 6:00 AM

Serves: Families, single adults, and youths

The following expanded day center services are available during the Severe Weather Notice:

Downtown Chapel Roman Catholic Parish

601 W Burnside Street, 503-228-0746

Provides hot beverages, some snacks and movies

Dates: As of 11am on 1/16/12 confirmation has NOT been made that this facility will be available during this weather event.

Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Serves: Adults

Union Gospel Mission

15 NW 3rd Avenue, 503-228-0319

Provides hot beverages, some snacks and television

Dates: As of 11am on 1/16/12 the Mission Director indicates that they do not have the volunteer capacity to open the day center on 1/16/12. They are working to get volunteers to open up on 1/17/12 and will confirm one way or another later today.

Hours: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Depending on severity of weather may be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Serves: Adults

Please call 211info with questions regarding other shelter and transportation resources.

BRIDGE HOUSE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS!

A Quarter Century of Positive Youth Development… Sort Of.

by JT (Jerry) Fest

Twenty-five years ago yesterday, January 12th, 1987, the first four of hundreds of future residents moved into Bridge House; at the time one of only seven demonstration projects for federal Transitional Living Programs for older homeless youth. The success of the program contributed to funding for future TLP’s around the nation, and today Bridge House is the only one of the original seven TLP’s still in operation, making it the oldest continuously funded federal TLP in the country.

Bridge House is considered one of the earliest programs to be based on the principles of Positive Youth Development (PYD), but here’s an interesting fact. In 1987, PYD as a codified best practice did not exist. As the principles and practices of PYD were articulated, it became clear that the design of Bridge House incorporated PYD principles and implemented PYD practices. But if PYD was not known at the time that Bridge House was established, then while it may be accurate to say that the program was designed along lines that were compatible with PYD, it cannot be said that Bridge House was based on PYD. That being the case, it may be interesting to some to learn what the program was based on. As I was director of the program at that time, I am able to answer that question for you.

The original grant that we received here in Portland was a demonstration grant and, as such, I wanted to try something new. After all, it’s not as though housing programs didn’t exist for homeless youth in the ‘80’s … but they weren’t demonstrating much success. While I have long since lost the studies from that time, I remember that the success rate for homeless youth going through housing programs was about 30% back then. Equally concerning was that the success rate for youth exiting street life without any program involvement at all was also about 30%, which was leading some to question whether or not programs were really helping. When the Bridge House demonstration showed a 70% successful rate of transition, people began to take notice, and our success contributed to a focus on PYD. But, again, the program preceded what is now known as PYD, so on what was it based?

In looking for a model to demonstrate I exhausted all existing approaches to housing and transitional living for homeless youth. Replicating the 30% success rate was not our goal; we wanted to find the most effective way to work with this population. When I couldn’t find anything new or promising within the existing approaches to homeless youth, I began to explore other fields. It was in the field of education that I found an approach to emulate when I came across a book called “Summerhill: A Radical Approach to Child Rearing” by Alexander Sutherland (A.S.) Neill (originally published in 1960, an expanded and revised version is now available as “ Summerhill School: A New View of Childhood.”).

Summerhill was a radical new concept in education. Instead of teachers as authoritarians and students as passive recipients of knowledge, Summerhill envisioned adults and young people as co-participants in an educational environment, each with responsibilities to that environment. The basic principles were defined in the forward to the book by sociologist and psychoanalyst Erich Fromm: nourish the whole child’s potential to love life intellectually, as well as emotionally; have him educated commensurate with his capacity, sans dogmatic disciplining; allow him to be free, but without encroaching on anyone; have the teachers maintain a transparency; encourage security in the pupil without resorting to submission and domination tactics, or utilizing guilt in one’s methods; and advocate a theology of human freedom, not sinful suppression. Sounds a lot like Positive Youth Development, doesn’t it? But, pre-dating Positive Youth Development, these principles were referred to as “self-government,” which is why Bridge House was not defined as a PYD model based on development, but as a self-government model based on freedom.

Say the word “freedom” in reference to youth programs and watch the blood drain from many adult’s faces as they envision young people running wild in the streets and terrorizing program staff. Freedom, however, is not license; as Neill himself points out in a later work titled, appropriately enough, Freedom -- Not License, which you can read HERE in its entirety (be aware that this was written in the mid 1960's; some of his commentary on social issues makes for an interesting time capsule). Neill describes it this way:

“It is this distinction between freedom and license that many parents cannot grasp. In the disciplined home, the children have no rights. In the spoiled home, they have all the rights. The proper home is one in which children and adults have equal rights.”

What many fail to understand is that there are no rights without responsibilities. A right without a responsibility is not a right at all; it is an entitlement … and people do not grow, learn, and develop from entitlements. In application to a program for homeless youth, I would paraphrase Neill’s statement and say that it is the distinction between freedom and license that many youth programs cannot grasp. In a structured program, young people have responsibilities with few rights. In an enabling program, young people have rights with few responsibilities. The proper program is one in which young people and adults each have rights and responsibilities, and are held accountable to their actions.

At Bridge House the accountability piece is accomplished through an evaluation system, but that is way beyond the scope of this article. Suffice it to say that Bridge House is a living example that freedom, when properly understood and applied, works … and on this occasion I would like to publically thank each and every staff and resident who has helped to prove that over this past quarter century.

So, with appreciation to A.S. Neill for his inspiration, The Youth Networker wishes Bridge House a happy birthday. While it is my hope that someday programs like you are no longer needed, may you remain open until that day.

---

This article expresses the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the position or view of the InterNetwork for Youth. For more information about the InterNetwork for Youth, contact author and consultant JT Fest HERE.

---

MEET YBR PORTLAND!

Here's a photo of Yellow Brick Road Outreach Specialists Neal Sand and Heather Penzel conducting outreach at a camp under a bridge in SE Portland this week. Heather is our most recent addition to the Janus outreach team, joining us about 5 months ago and quickly building solid relationships with young people surviving outdoors. If you are interested in volunteering at either our Portland, Oregon or Vancouver, Washington YBR programs just drop a line to Dennis Lundberg at dlundberg@janusyouth.org for more information. We're ALWAYS looking for dedicated folks over the age of 18 to join our mission to improve the lives of vulnerable young people.

CROSSROADS CHURCH SUPPORTS JANUS YOUTH!

Pastor Tom Burgess and Janus Youth Associate Director of Homeless Programs Dennis Lundberg

Portland's Crossroads Church has partnered with Janus Youth Programs to support our ongoing mission to improve the lives of young people! Over the past several weeks the congregation has collected a huge inventory of safety and hygiene essentials for kids surviving outdoors such as shampoo, razors, deodorant, journals, tooth brushes and nutrition bars. The photo above only provides a mere glimpse. In total we collected no less than 140 boxes full of supplies and literally hundreds of pre-packed hygiene kits that are already being distributed to young people in need at our homeless youth shelters, newly opened CSEC shelter (for young survivors of commercial sexual exploitation) and on the streets via Yellow Brick Road Street Outreach teams. This is an amazing statement of the Church's passionate commitment to kids in our community who don’t have a safe home tonight. THANK YOU, Crossroads Church!

FREE YBR TRAINING EVENT NOVEMBER 27!

Yellow Brick Road offers quarterly trainings to all outreach volunteers and program participants. These trainings are FREE and available to anyone over 18 in the community who may wish to learn more about issues related to youth homelessness, street outreach and our program philosophy and methodology. Our training events are also a great opportunity to meet the current volunteer teams, staff and supervisor, learn about important updates regarding our program and homeless youth services, and ask questions. Applications will be on hand for anyone who wishes to join the team! Our next training will take place in downtown Portland on Sunday NOVEMBER 27 from 2pm until 5pm. We hope to see you there!Please R.S.V.P. for location at the email address listed below.

dlundberg@janusyouth.org

RHYTTAC 2011

This week more than 650 professional social workers and passionate youth advocates descended upon Portland, Oregon for the annual Runaway and Homeless Youth Training and Technical Support Conference (RHYTTAC 2011). It was great to meet so many of you from all over the country who share Janus Youth's mission to improve the lives of young people. We greeted many of you personally as you toured through the downtown Janus Youth facility (more than two hundred people visited us over the course of three days!) and met still more colleagues during the various workshops and training events. It was a real pleasure to share skills, wisdom and laughs with such a diverse group, especially our fantastic youth panel speakers. Yellow Brick Road was also very excited to escort a few enthusiastic out-of-town outreach workers from StreetWorks (Twin Cities, MN) and Synergy Project (Warminster, PA) out on the streets for a glimpse at how we do things here in "Portlandia". Here's Shane Burroughs of Synergy Project becoming acquainted with the interactive pod sculpture on 11th & Burnside. Hope you had a good time, Shane! Get home safely, friends. See you all next year and...keep up the GREAT WORK for young people in your corner of the world.

Photo by YBR volunteer Stella Butler.

National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth

Wow! This is the first time we've ever blogged about a blog that blogged about our blog. Got that? Yellow Brick Road is honored to have received mention on the National Clearinghouse On Families & Youth website for our innovative use of online resources for outreach. Read the full article here!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY IN VANCOUVER

Outreach Specialist Robin Alley with the Clark County Altrusa International Foundation

Saturday October 22 was Make a Difference Day and the Clark County Altrusa International Foundation chose to support Yellow Brick Road of Washington's mission to “make a difference” in the lives of homeless youth in Vancouver, Washington! Altrusa International is dedicated to improving economic well-being and quality of life through a commitment to community services and literacy. Our local chapter contacted YBR–Washington to get a "wish list" of items needed for the homeless youth we serve throughout the community and at our daytime drop-in center, The Perch. The project was assisted with generous donations from several Vancouver Fred Meyer stores as well as students and instructors at the Vancouver Jazzercise Fitness Center. Last week Altrusa members delivered 30 handmade and individually packed gift bags, each containing Skull Candy earphones, an aluminum water bottle, socks, playing cards, a crossword or sudoku book, a flashlight and a variety of snacks. Staff at The Perch began distributing the bags almost immediately and they have been a big hit among our youth! The supply drive also generated much needed essentials for our drop-in center such as new dishes and cookware. Thank you to Altrusa, Fred Meyer and the Vancouver Jazzercise Fitness Center. You all have truly made a difference in the lives of homeless youth in Vancouver!

GIRLS ARE NOT FOR SALE!

A federal judge sentenced 23 year old Portland pimp Jefferson B. Davis to 20 years in prison this week for his role in forcing a 13 year old runaway from Salem, Oregon into commercial sexual exploitation. Hopefully this is just the first step towards protecting Oregon children from sex trafficking. The sentence sends a clear message to predators, both sellers and consumers, that GIRLS ARE NOT FOR SALE! Read more here.

CITY BIBLE CHURCH

Today we would like to send a simple heartfelt THANK YOU to our supporters at CITY BIBLE CHURCH who kindly prepared hundreds of hygiene kits to be distributed by Yellow Brick Road to young people in need on the streets of Portland. Here's Outreach Specialists Neal and Tiffany delivering the goods to "Bricks" and "Bobby". Thank you for supporting Janus Youth Programs and Yellow Brick Road!

Students on the Streets

YBR volunteers Sal and Sara with intern Dean, outreaching at R2D2.

GIRLS ARE NOT FOR SALE!

Three young girls who were being advertised for sex on Backpage.com, have been rescued by police. Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn, along with six other Washington mayors, Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna, and fifty other attorney's general have joined forces to combat the advertising that the Seattle Police Department has identified as an accelerant for the sexual exploitation of children. After Backpage indicated to the attorney's general on Sept. 27 that it would not be changing existing policies, McGinn released information on three women recently recovered from SeaTac.

"In light of Backpage.com's response to the 51 attorneys general, I'd like to update you on our efforts to rescue children from being sexually exploited on Backpage.com," said Mayor Mike McGinn. "On Thursday September 22, while Backpage.com was drafting its lengthy rationalization of their practices, our High Risk Victims Unit participated in a task force operation in SeaTac. We recovered three female children who were being advertised for sex on Backpage.com." McGinn says protecting exploited children is a top priority for the Seattle Police Department, but continues, "we can never get ahead of this crime while a company like Backpage.com profits from the sexual exploitation of children and uses their newsrooms to minimize the extent of the issue."

The company has said it would work with police to crack down on predators, but claims shutting down the site would be a violation of the First Amendment.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, REED COLLEGE!

Happy Birthday, Reed! Yellow Brick Road has enjoyed a wonderful community partnership with Reed College over the years. It is our pleasure to celebrate their first 100 years of excellence in education and community service. Here's to the next 100 years!

Free YBR Training Event!

September 25, 2011

Sunday

2pm-5pm

Janus Youth Programs and Yellow Brick Road invite YOU to our upcoming community training on Sunday, September 25. This training is free and open to the public but seating is limited so please R.S.V.P. for location. YBR trainings are a great way to meet our entire team of volunteers, outreach specialists and program supervisor to learn more about issues of youth homelessness and the many ways you can get involved and make a difference with Janus Youth Programs. There is absolutely no obligation to volunteer to attend. Our September 25th training will focus on critical funding updates, team safety on the streets and best practices methodology. Vegetarian lunch and coffee will be provided. Hope to see you there!

Please R.S.V.P. for location at

dlundberg@janusyouth.org

The Standard's 2011 Volunteer Expo Fair

It was a pleasure meeting so many prospective volunteers at The Standard's 2011 Volunteer Expo at Pioneer Square in Portland, Oregon today! Special thanks to Megan at The Standard for her coordination of this fun and important community organizing event and all the folks who provided media coverage and support: KGW, OPB, KINK Radio Stations, Willamette Week, Portland Family and the Portland Business Journal. Thanks to Neal Sand and Heather Penzel, our very own Outreach Specialists, for representing Yellow Brick Road!

NOW HIRING YOUTH!

Project Metamorphosis is now accepting applications for the Recovery Transition Advocate (RTA) position. We are looking to hire dedicated people who have the demonstrated ability to act as clean & sober peers among 15-24 year old street-dependent youth, providing advocacy, referral, and support. This is a part-time entry-level position. No experience is necessary! Our mission is to engage and encourage youth to exit street life with innovative outreach and customized youth-friendly services integrating treatment for alcohol and other drug abuse as well as mental health support. We encourage diversity!

Qualifications:

1 year clean and sober time (required)

High school diploma or GED

Experience and/or knowledge of the issues of homelessness and drug and alcohol addiction.

A pre-employment drug screening (required)

For an application and more information please visit DePaul Treatment Centers and click 'Metamorphosis Application'.

Applications and resume are due by 5pm Tuesday September 13, 2011.

Janus Youth Access Center

The Access Center is the entry point to Janus Youth's homeless services and Portland’s nationally recognized inter-agency partnership known as the Homeless Youth Continuum. The program name is a bit of a misnomer as it implies a centralized location or “center”. In fact, the Access Center is a mobile team that serves as the primary gateway to downtown resources. We are also a crisis hotline, a data hub and a county-wide referral resource that aims to meet vulnerable young people “where they are at” just as readily as our Yellow Brick Road Street Outreach teams. The program motto is “no wrong door” to care and our staff makes it their daily business to respond as quickly and compassionately to the needs of young people experiencing crisis. They specialize in listening to young people’s stories- reading between the lines, asking the difficult questions, and verifying accuracy- in an effort to determine the most appropriate interventions. Every day they hear painful stories of frayed families and young lives that have unraveled and every day they provide hope to young people struggling to survive outdoors. When I recently asked our team what the most difficult part of the job is, they unanimously agreed that it was the daunting emotional burden of bearing witness day after day to unthinkable human tragedy. It’s tough work. And they are a remarkably resilient, intimate and devoted bunch. They also unanimously agreed that one of the most rewarding aspects of the job is working together as a tight-knit team that values each other’s individual skills and styles. In many ways, the Access Center beautifully illustrates that unspoken bond that characterizes what some of us have come to refer to as the “Janus Family” values. One of the most inspiring aspects of the Access Center is that, despite being comprised of only three staff and one program supervisor, this modest program boasts more than 30 years of combined experience at Janus Youth Programs! That’s a whole lot of dedication and wisdom for a program that consists of two small downtown offices and one cellular phone. Let’s meet the folks that make it happen every day:

Pete Lewis

This month marks Pete’s 10th year with Janus Youth Programs! Pete began working with homeless youth as an overnight Porchlight Shelter staff in 2001, shortly after immigrating to the US from his homeland of Wales where he taught basic literacy skills to at-risk youth. He is a gifted writer and a passionate advocate for social justice who can also hold his own on both a skateboard and a surfboard. I recently asked Pete what he loves most about his job and he had this to say, “Knowing that we are helping to provide solutions to desperate social problems. Helping a wide variety of young people begin the process of picking their lives up after they think they've reached the end of the road…Sometimes, being the first adult who has treated a young person with the respect and attention they deserve.” What keeps Pete on the frontline day after day? “I like working for an organization that is respected in the community and I like working in a program that has a clear mission statement. My co-workers have decades of experience and it is invaluable knowing you can count on your co-workers when working with such challenging situations. I think that as an agency we have found the balance between offering genuine compassion and concern while maintaining professional boundaries.” Well said! I also asked Pete what song best describes his personality and he replied, “'Disorder' by Joy Division. Check out my approach to paperwork…” All jokes aside, thank you for 10 years of outstanding youth advocacy work, Pete!

Sylvia Spears-Spencer

Sylvia will celebrate her 10th year with Janus in just a few months! Anyone who has the pleasure of meeting Sylvia even once will never forget her direct no-nonsense approach, her unshakable faith, her impeccable appearance and her disarming sense of humor even in the face of despair. Did I mention her nails? “The best part of my job,” she explains, “is meeting people from all walks of life and hearing their stories… Most people look away from the homeless. I do not. I want to make a difference.” Those stories Sylvia mentions are at the crux of the screening function at the Access Center. Our staff is responsible for determining eligibility for services and this frequently puts us in the challenging role of determining levels of vulnerability and making decisions with dwindling community resources that are often outweighed by need. “The most difficult part of my job is hearing why people are on the streets and the people who have caused the situation.” So what keeps her coming back year after year? “I enjoy working with the youth and my co-workers. My supervisor also!” Aw, shucks. No, I did not approve additional PTO for that last remark. What song best describes her personality? ‘Superfly’ by Curtis Mayfield. Don’t forget it. Thank you for nearly 10 years of selfless service to Portland’s most vulnerable youth, Sylvia!

Andy Hallgren

Andy is the most recent addition to the Access Center team but his story is no less inspiring. Andy initially entered the field as an RTA with Project Metamorphosis after completing an internship with Outside In. As an RTA he served as a peer advocate and mentor, gaining practical frontline skills with Yellow Brick Road and quickly demonstrating a natural gift for working with the most street-affected youth. “I've chosen to help homeless youth because I've seen my own struggles in life,” Andy openly reasons, “I see hope in this population and want to do what I can to be a positive part of their lives…The best part of my job is spending time with the youth I've seen grow into competent, happy adults.” That’s no coincidence. The relationships that Andy forges with young people are precisely the kind of caring connections to adults that federal grants increasingly reference and require of grantees. It is certainly no coincidence that many of our “success story” youth who have transitioned off the streets continue to visit Andy at the Access Center for ongoing encouragement, camaraderie and after-care support. “The most difficult part of my job is balancing the bad with the good.” Not every youth will make it and we experience our share of heartache downtown. So what keeps Andy coming back every week with a smile on his face? “I continue to work with Janus because I really enjoy my co-workers and my supervisor. I also feel like I can be myself and that fosters a very comfortable environment for the difficult work we do.” If you think it’s odd that Andy enjoys the company of his supervisor, consider the song that he selected to describe his personality: ‘Born With a Tail’ by the Supersuckers. Thanks for all you do, Andy!

To learn more about the Access Center or if you are a youth under 25 in need of assistance in Portland, Oregon please call us between 8am-6pm every day of the year: (503) 432-3986

YBR meets Pickle Baby

Left to right: Aubrey Bauer, Sarah Louise Allen (with Pickle Baby), Neal Sand, Adonica Beavers, Lori Rodriguez.

People often ask what an evening of Yellow Brick Road Street Outreach actually looks like. The truth is, the streets can vary greatly from night to night but we do our best to be prepared for just about anything we might find out there (just take a look at Pickle Baby in the photo above, whom our team met at a First Thursday Art Walk event). In an effort to share with people what we mean by "anything"- and to further demysitify the practice of street outreach- we occasionally post random Yellow Brick Road log entries on this blog. The names and identifiers have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the folks we serve but otherwise the following account is edited directly from this month's Yellow Brick Road Outreach Log Book. This log is particularly interesting in that it underscores the kind of misinformation we occasionally encounter and the importance of educated harm reduction dialogue on the streets:

Tonight was a night filled with new contacts! Around 40% of the young people we met said they had not heard about street outreach before and they were very happy to see us...We decided to spice up our route and headed down to the Burnside/Powell stretch, dipping into the south side through O'Bryant Square (aka "Paranoid Park")...We strolled through Pioneer Square where we had some prime harm reduction philosophizing with some rather transcendental travelers after they claimed that it's "cool" not to wear condoms! Sarah astutely pointed out the risks of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, to which he responded with a very sincere, "What you don't know can't hurt you." It was noted that clearly not all proverbs are true and this seemed to leave quite an impression on the young man for further thought...

Next we headed down to Safeway where we had a nice conversation with "Primal" and "Sandy" and their lovely puppy. Then up to the Park Blocks where we encountered "Chance" who is hopefully getting into treatment this week and then planning to move on to Montana where he apparently has a home and a full-time job waiting for him! He was ecstatic to get our of Portland and had strong hopes that he would stay clean for good. We offered him congratulations and good wishes for his future.

After a heartfelt "thank you" from a longtime homeless man for everything Yellow Brick Road has done for him, we hopped on the MAX back to YBR headquarters. It was wonderful night overall.

~Yellow Brick Road Team (July 2011)

Yellow Brick Road Volunteer Awarded!

Left to right: Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury, YBR volunteer Joan Jenkins, Housing Commissioner Nick Fish.

We are honored to announce that Yellow Brick Road volunteer Joan Jenkins was a recipient of the 2011 Coordinating Committee to End Homelessness Achievement Award for her outstanding efforts in reaching out to homeless youth and others experiencing homelessness in the Portland community. Joan has been a Yellow Brick Road volunteer for more than 16 years. She joins the team every Monday night, making critical contacts and building trust with street-dependent youth and connecting them to information and services. Joan’s passion, energy, and laughter are an inspiration to the young people that she meets on the streets, and to all the staff and volunteers who have had the pleasure of working alongside her. She demonstrates humility in serving others and avoids personal recognition, keeping her focus on supporting young people as they transition out of homelessness. Joan truly believes in the potential and futures of young people and is a passionate outreach worker on their behalf. When folks in the community talk about what a great program Yellow Brick Road is, they are talking about Joan Jenkins. Congratulations, Joan! And thank you for all that you do.

Somehwere Under The Rainbow...

While it is true that as outreach workers we must intentionally expose ourselves to the more painful sides of life in an effort to improve the lives of vulnerable young people, street outreach is certainly not without its profound beauty and unique rewards. On that note we present these inspiring photos taken just last week of Yellow Brick Road on the streets of Portland, Oregon.

Photos courtesy of Yellow Brick Road volunteer Stella Butler, who has been with the program since 2003. Thanks for all you do, Stella!

Meet YBR of Washington!

YELLOW BRICK ROAD of WASHINGTON

& THE PERCH DROP-IN CENTER

YBR of Washington was established in 2006 with the mission of identifying and meeting the unique needs of street dependent youth in the Southwest Washington region. Modeled closely after Janus Youth’s nationally acclaimed street outreach program based in downtown Portland, the Washington State division has expanded to include a drop-in center known as The Perch which is operated by knowledgeable outreach workers and serves young people 16-24 years old that are experiencing homelessness in Clark County. The program operates Monday through Friday from 9am-3:30pm. Recently Dennis Lundberg joined Director of Washington Services Dr. Tillie Make Peace to provide leadership for YBR of Washington and The Perch. Helen Boylan (pictured) and Scott Conger also assist youth to achieve sustainable independence through the housing assistance programs The NEST and The PATH. Now let’s meet our amazing team of YBR-W Outreach Specialists:

Heather Wilkins: Heather has been with YBR-W and The Perch for more than a year and recently accepted the challenge of assisting Dennis Lundberg with the daily maintenance of the pr0gram in her new role as the Program Coordinator. What does she like most about working with vulnerable street affected youth? “I just really love getting to know all the youth we have the opportunity to meet…they have some amazing strengths, tenacity and life knowledge.” If Heather had to pick a song that would describe her personality to a stranger, she would pick Tangerine by Led Zeppelin. Tangerine is also a favorite color. Why? “It’s a mellow, yet warm color.” Just like Heather’s personality. Thanks for all you do, Heather!

Sean Farrell: Sean moved to Portland a few years ago from California and very quickly applied his passion for volunteering and community organizing to the downtown Homeless Youth Continuum. He began his career as a Recovery Transition Advocate (RTA), working with Project Metamorphosis for a year and launching the successful Youth in the Community service learning project for homeless youth before recently joining the YBR-W/Perch team as a full-time Outreach Specialist. In his personal time Sean is a theatrical musician with roots in punk rock activism. If he had to pick one song that describes his personality to a stranger, he would pick Walk Together, Rock Together by 7 Seconds. Welcome to the team, Sean!

Joseph Bonnell: Joseph was raised in Norman, Oklahoma and joined the YBR-W/Perch team almost exactly one year ago to the day. He brings to the team a deep respect for young people and a gentle and grounded presence. Joseph is also our resident resource expert and he single handedly maintains a meticulously updated resource guide that will soon be shared amongst the entire Washington State Janus Division. His favorite color is green and his favorite thing about working with YBR-W is, “All I get to learn from tough, amazing young people.” Thanks for all you do, Joseph.

Robin Alley: Robin was born and raised in Vancouver, Washington. She loves her city and devotes her time away from her own family to improving the lives of vulnerable young people right in her own hometown. Robin was a generous volunteer with The Perch for the past year and rose to the challenge to help the team hold down the proverbial fort during recent transitions. This month she joined YBR-W as a fulltime Outreach Specialist and brings to the team her motherly compassion and enviable energy (not to mention her delicious cooking). If Robin had to choose an animal that would describe her personality to a stranger, she would choose a dog because she is, “Loyal & friendly & loves to run around.” Welcome to the team, Robin!

To learn more about YBR-W street outreach and The Perch drop-in center, contact us at:

(360) 213-5947

YBR Outreach Specialist Awarded!

Janus Youth Programs is delighted to announce that our very own Outreach Specialist, Neal Sand, was presented with the 2011 Individual Award of Merit at the Oregon Coalition on Housing and Homelessness' 23rd Annual Conference in Hood River, Oregon last week!

As a professional Outreach Specialist with Janus Youth Programs' Yellow Brick Road Street Outreach Program, Neal packs his bag every week- rain or shine (frequently rain)- and heads out to the streets, bridges, wooded camps, squats, and pretty much anywhere off the beaten path where he might find Portland, Oregon’s most vulnerable young people. He excels at reaching the "hardest to reach" youth wherever they are to be found and he builds meaningful relationships that make a lasting difference.

Neal’s history with Janus Youth Programs goes back to 1998 when he himself began as a volunteer with Yellow Brick Road. Neal far exceeded his minimum 6 month volunteer commitment, remaining on the YBR team for no less than 4 years before he applied and was hired on full-time with Janus Youth’s homeless youth services in 2002. Over the years Neal has honed his skills with young people and left a wake of hilarious epic-length monologues in our staff log books.

Neal is Journalism major (another family tradition) with a gift for wry wit. That’s a nice way of saying he can laugh even in the shadow of life’s darkest ironies. It is a skill that serves him well in our work in downtown Portland where we frequently need both hands to count the folks lost on the streets every year. Neal’s passion for laughter and language is a gift he has shared with youth in the form of creative writing and self-expression workshops.

Neal believes in young people so unrelentingly that, eventually, they tend to believe in themselves. He is a soft-spoken hero on the streets of Portland and he is one of the dedicated youth advocates who have made Janus Youth Programs the acclaimed service providers we are today. We are honored to work with him. So are the youth.

What IS Street Outreach?

People often ask what an evening of Yellow Brick Road Street Outreach actually looks like. The truth is, the streets can vary greatly from night to night but we do our best to be prepared for just about anything we might find out there. In an effort to share with people what we mean by "anything"- and to further demysitify the practice of street outreach- we occasionally post random Yellow Brick Road log entries on this blog. The names and identifiers have been changed to protect the confidentiality of the folks we serve but otherwise the following account is excerpted directly from last night's Yellow Brick Road Outreach Log Book:

Super solid night! Started out wet and rainy heading to Street Church which was packed. There are two teens who have been frequenting Street Church recently who appear fairly vulnerable. They are engageable yet very resistant to the idea of services...We checked in with [Street Church Supervisor] Jeff Welch and discussed a plan to try to motivate them to go to Harry's Mother [Janus Youth Programs' 24 hour runaway youth safety center].

We then went to Safeway through the South Park Blocks, where we had some good conversations and "card & raps" [i.e. new contacts]. From there we did the Rite Aid/Pioneer Square loop and engaged with a fair amount of young people...After that we headed down toward Waterfront and crossed over to the East Side. Once there we encountered several groups of people. They like us over there and would like to see more of us under the Hawthorne Bridge area. There was a request for wide-eye sewing needles.

At the public meal under the Burnside Bridge we met "Kathy" and "Robin", who were new to Portland from Des Moines and after a "card & rap" about Yellow Brick Road they were interested in having an emergency night at Porchlight Shelter. From the meal we escorted them directly to shelter where we provided a warm handoff to the shelter staff waiting when we arrived. Solid night, solid contact.

~S, S, H & A (Thursday Night Yellow Brick Road Team)

Yellow Brick Road volunteer Axcelle Bell in the YBR office preparing a nightly outreach report with his team. Photos courtesy of YBR volunteer Stella Butler.

YBR Training Opportunity: De-Escalation & Non-Violent Communication

FREE TRAINING

April 10, 2011

Sunday

2pm-5pm

Janus Youth Programs and Yellow Brick Road invite YOU to our upcoming community training on Sunday, April 10th. This training is free and open to the public but seating is limited so please R.S.V.P. for location. YBR trainings are a great way to meet our team of outreach workers and volunteers to learn more about issues of youth homelessness and the many ways you can get involved and make a difference with Janus Youth Programs. There is absolutely no obligation to volunteer to attend. Our April 10th training will focus on practical De-Escalation skills, from non-verbal preventative interventions to the basic principles of Non-Violent Communication. What is conflict? What is resolution? What is de-escalation? How can we apply these concepts to street outreach to reduce violence and safety issues? Vegetarian lunch and coffee will be provided. Hope to see you there!

Please R.S.V.P. for location at

dlundberg@janusyouth.org

Our Hearts and Best Wishes Go Out To Our Neighbors In Japan

As we work to empower the lives of vulnerable young people here in the North West of the United States, Yellow Brick Road and Janus Youth Programs send our best wishes to our neighbors in Japan. We wish you all the strength, fortitude and resiliency to heal from the recent tragedies that fell upon Japanese shores. We are with you during these difficult times.

Janus Youth Programs and the Sexual Aassault Resource Center partner to end Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

KPTV NEWS
Chanel 12
Portland, Oregon

Portland has been in the spotlight as a hub for child sex trafficking, but now efforts are stepping up this week to fight the problem and help the victims. A fund of $285,000 approved by the city in November has been put to use. This week, three new case managers from the Sexual Assault Resource Center will begin work helping victims of commercial sexual exploitation.

“We receive calls on our cell phones all night long,” says Ester Nelson, of SARC, who supervises the advocates. She says they currently manage more than 170 cases and the number of victims doesn’t appear to be getting smaller. “It’s just overwhelming -- the system’s ability to respond,” Nelson says. Nelson says treatment starts by building a respectful relationship with the victims and assuring them that they deserve the services available to them. “It doesn’t take much. You just need a person to believe in you and say, ‘We believe in you,'” she says.

The other portion of the funding will help Janus Youth Programs with shelter staffing. Twelve beds are currently available for at-risk youth. “Over the past two to three months, we have hit capacity,” says program director Kevin Donegan. He says he would rather children sleep in the shelter’s office than go back to the streets. “Most people are not aware of the extent of the problem,” Donegan says. “It’s big.”

Increased awareness is a key component in combating sex trafficking, he says. Advocates agree progress has been made in treating the immediate crisis, but more must be done to find long-term solutions. It’s estimated at least 100,000 children are forced into prostitution in the United States each year, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Homeless Youth Featured on 60 Minutes

This was a very moving segment on 60 Minutes last night. It might generate some media interest today, locally --

go Minutes

Stand and Be Counted

Yellow Brick Road, Janus Youth’s downtown Portland street outreach program, recently completed the 2011 Street Count. The Street Count is Multnomah County's federally mandated biennial survey of people sleeping outdoors as well as those folks in temporary or emergency shelters (the Shelter Count is conducted at the same time as the Street Count to create an unduplicated number). This is a huge collective effort by many organizations and volunteers and the information we gather helps us create a "snapshot" of the folks sleeping outdoors in our community on one particular night of the year, typically a cold and wet night that intentionally eliminates those who can scrape together even temporary resources when the going gets real rough. This year that night was Wednesday, January 26th and our dedicated YBR teams put all regular outreach on hold to prioritize the count and make every effort to see that nobody was left uncounted. In 2009, nearly 1,600 people slept outside on the night of our January Street Count while another 820 were in temporary shelter. That number might seem low for a city often cited nationally for our highly visible homeless population but keep in mind that it is only an estimate of our total unsheltered population and we are well aware that a count of this nature fails to reach many highly vulnerable youth, single adults, couples and families that lack stable and safe housing but remain off our collective radar for a variety of reasons. THANKS TO ALL OF OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS and our STREET OUTREACH STAFF who put in extra hours to assure that as many people were counted as possible!

While working on the Street Count this past month I was reminded of our last count back in 2009. Our outreach teams met a spirited young couple while conducting surveys on the streets that year. Let’s call them “Sara” and “Craig”. They were immediately noticeable because they fit the notorious “road warrior” description perfectly: spiked leather jackets, dyed Mohawks, homemade tattoos and scowls that had been perfected over many years of abject failure and disappointment. They were asking passersby for spare change in front of Voodoo Doughnuts downtown with a paper cup suspended from a stick and string so, in effect, they were “fishing” for change. If I remember correctly, their sign even read “gone fishing”. Sara and Craig would soon establish a very close connection with Yellow Brick Road as our teams continued to engage them on the sidewalk outside of Voodoo Doughnuts night after night. Eventually- cautiously- they began joining us at our weekly stationary outreach site, volunteering to clean the space at the end of the day as a small gesture of appreciation for the meals and good company they were provided with by our outstanding staff. As they “came in from the cold” as it were, the full extent of their collective problems began to emerge. There was chronic alcoholism to contend with as well as occasionally alarming anger management and depression issues that were very clearly linked to deeply embedded feelings of low self-worth. Neither of them had much in the way of education or employment experience. And then they found out that Sara was pregnant.

Suffice to say, over the course of many months we worked diligently to connect them with a team of midwives and our colleagues at Janus Youth’s Insights Teen Pregnancy Program. They were soon attending parenting workshops and a sliding-scale martial arts dojo where Craig began to learn healthy risk-taking and healthier outlets for his aggression. We were able to secure a housing grant and a terrific downtown apartment, oddly located not far from where we first met them sitting in the rain with their crooked grins and stick, string and paper cup. Sara and Craig have been indoors for almost one year now and this past August they gave birth to a beautiful and perfectly healthy baby girl. Let’s call her “Hope”. Earlier this week I received a phone message from Craig, now a proud young dad, who sounded excited to realize that he is approaching his one year anniversary indoors. His message was simple and very telling: “Hey Dennis, just calling to let you know that I’ve been off the streets for almost one year and that means I’m almost ready to start volunteering with Yellow Brick Road! Call me back…”

2011 Street Count results coming soon!

SEVERE WEATHER WARNING IN EFFECT FOR THURSDAY AND FRIDAY (FEBRUARY 24 & 25)

In addition to the resources listed in our earlier post (see below), transportation is available for anyone who needs assistance getting to a warming center during the cold this week:

TRANSPORTATION:

Individuals needing transportation to the Red Cross Severe Weather Warming Center can come to the Union Gospel Mission (3 NW 3rd Ave) between 8:30 PM and 9:30 PM for fareless access to TriMet busses on normal routes. Buses will drop riders at E Burnside and SE Sandy (two blocks from warming center site). Fareless access to TriMet buses is available only for those gathering at Union Gospel Mission. Red Cross staff will assist individuals requiring similar transportation assistance from the warming center to downtown Portland the following morning.

For additional 9information please call 211 by dialing 2-1-1 within the Portland metro area.

SEVERE WEATHER THIS WEEK!

Severe Weather Alert: The National Weather Service predicts temperatures between 34-33° along with winds gusting to 14 miles per hour beginning Tuesday night 2/22 and a snow accumulation of 1 inch by morning 2/23. These conditions are expected to persist with low temperatures around 30° overnight Wednesday 2/23.

Anyone seeking shelter should contact 211info, reached by dialing 2-1-1.

211info will be available to identify available shelter and warming center resources between 8:00am and 6:00pm, Monday through Friday. Multnomah County callers may also contact 211info between 6:00pm and 10:00pm Monday to Friday, and between 8:00am and 10:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. In addition to existing year-round and winter shelter facilities, the following warming center facilities are available:

WARMING CENTERS:
Family Winter Warming Center:
12505 NE Halsey Street, Portland Oregon
(on Halsey near 126th Avenue)
This is a walk-in facility.
Dates: seven nights a week throughout winter season
Hours: 7:00 PM - 7:00 AM, check-in on site
Serves: Any combination of adults with children under 18 or women who are IN THEIR 3RD TRIMESTER OF THEIR PREGNANCY.

Women’s Winter Warming Center:
Call to make reservation 24 hours per day or stop by the Transition Projects office at NW 5th & Glisan Monday - Friday, 8:30am-7:30pm. Call 503-823-4930 to check availability. Only for single women, up to 70 people.
Dates: seven nights a week throughout winter season
Hours: 7:45 PM - 6:45 AM; 7:30 PM check-in for guests with disabilities
Serves: Only single women

Men’s Expanded Shelter:
Located at Salvation Army Harbor Light, SW 2nd and Ankeny, between 7:30pm and 7:30am. Call 503-239-1259. Provides seating and hot beverages. Only for single men, up 70 people.
Dates: seven nights a week throughout winter season
Hours: 7:30 PM - 7:30 AM
Serves: Only single men

Portland Rescue Mission:
111 W Burnside St., Portland Oregon
This is a walk-in facility.
Dates: seven nights a week
Hours: 8:30 PM - 5:30 AM, check-in on site
Serves: only single men, up to 136 people

Severe Weather Emergency Warming Center
Red Cross Severe Weather Emergency Warming Center at the Imago Dei Church
1302 Ankeny Street, (near 13th Avenue in Inner SE), Portland
Dates: evenings 2/22/2011 - 02/23/2011
Hours: 9:00 PM – 7:00 AM, check-in on site
Serves: Families, single adults, and youths; Pets allowed; some space for carts; accessible location (main floor)

Union Gospel Mission
3 NW 3rd Avenue, 503-274-4483
Dates: evenings 2/22/2010 – 02/26/2011
Hours: 9:30 PM – 6:00 AM
Serves: Up to 50 people

The following expanded day center service is available during the Severe Weather Alert.

St. Francis Dining Hall
330 SE 11th Avenue, 503-234-2028
Adding additional hours to accommodate Red Cross Severe Weather Emergency Warming Center clients
Dates: 2/22/2010 – evening of 02/23/2011
Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:45 PM
Serves: Men & Women

Please call 211info with questions regarding other shelter and transportation resources.

FREE YBR TRAINING THIS SUNDAY!

FREE TRAINING

February 20, 2010

Sunday

2pm-5pm

Janus Youth Programs and Yellow Brick Road invite YOU to our upcoming community training this Sunday, February 20th. The training is free and open to the public but seating is limited so please R.S.V.P. for location. YBR trainings are a great way to learn more about issues of youth homelessness in our community and the many ways you can get involved and make a difference with Janus Youth Programs. There is no obligation to volunteer to attend. This week's training will include updates on the 2011 Street Count, Roadmap Home, and our community's response to Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). We will be viewing the short video 'Making A Girl' and the Dan Rathers special 'Pornland'. Vegetarian lunch and coffee will be provided. Hope to see you there!

Please R.S.V.P. for location at

dlundberg@janusyouth.org

STREET COUNT 2011

Tonight is STREET COUNT NIGHT here in Portland, Oregon! The Street Count is Portland's biennial count of both unsheltered people along with those in temporary or emergency shelter. This is a huge collective effort by many organiziations and volunteers and the information we gather will help us create a "snapshot" of those folks sleeping outdoors tonight. In 2009, nearly 1,600 people slept outside on the night of our January Street Count while another 820 were in temporary shelter. That number might seem low but keep in mind that it is only an estimate of how many people- both youth, adults and families- lack stable and safe housing right here in our community. Yellow Brick Road has been diligently interviewing people outdoors all week in an effort too gather the most accurate information possible and the results will be releases in a few weeks. THANKS TO OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS and OUTREACH STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN OUT ON THE STREETS ALL WEEK for this important survey! More info coming soon...

City of Portland Street Musician Forum!

The Street Musician Partnership was created in 1994 in collaboration with local Street Musicians, the City of Portland, Multnomah County, and the Portland Business Alliance. The City of Portland would like to hear from YOU on how you think the partnership is working, 15 years later, and what can be done to improve it. The public forum will be held on:

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

4:00 P.M.
Portland Building, Room C
1120 SW 5th Ave
Portland, OR 97204

Contact Sara Hussein in Commissioner Fritz’s office at 503-823-3994 for more information. To help ensure equal access to City services and activities, the City of Portland will reasonably modify services to persons with disabilities. Call 503-823-2036, TTY 503-823-6868 with such requests.

It's COOOOLD!

The City of Portland has not declared a Severe Weather Alert this evening but please be advised that conditions are expected to be wet and cold through Thursday afternoon (1/13). Anyone seeking shelter should contact 211info, reached by dialing 2-1-1. 211info will be available to identify available shelter and warming center resources between 8:00am and 6:00pm, Monday through Friday. Multnomah County callers may also contact 211info between 6:00pm and 10:00pm Monday to Friday, and between 8:00am and 10:00pm on Saturday and Sunday. The following winter warming shelters will be available:

Family Winter Warming Center:
12505 NE Halsey Street, Portland Oregon
(on Halsey near 126th Avenue)
This is a walk-in facility.
Dates: seven nights a week throughout winter season
Hours: 7:00 PM - 7:00 AM, check-in on site
Serves: Any combination of adults with children under 18 or women who are IN THEIR 3RD TRIMESTER OF THEIR PREGNANCY.

Women’s Winter Warming Center:
Call to make reservation 24 hours per day or stop by the Transition Projects office at NW 5th & Glisan Monday - Friday, 8:30am-7:30pm. Call 503-823-4930 to check availability. Only for single women, up to 70 people.
Dates: seven nights a week throughout winter season
Hours: 7:00 PM - 7:00 AM
Serves: Only single women

Men’s Expanded Shelter:
Located at Salvation Army Harbor Light, SW 2nd and Ankeny, between 7:30pm and 7:30am. Call 503-239-1259. Provides seating and hot beverages. Only for single men, up 70 people.
Dates: seven nights a week throughout winter season
Hours: 7:30 PM - 7:30 AM
Serves: Only single men