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· Raise awareness among community members about homeless youth in our neighborhood so that we can affirm their presence and protect/advance their civil rights;

· Build a network of non-profits, congregations, and businesses who are working together to address youth homelessness and mistreatment towards homeless and at-risk youth;

· Work towards having a community where people know each other, look out for each other, and protect one another.

What it means to be a Youth Ally:

Being a Youth Ally means that your congregation, business, or non-profit formally decides to affirm these two statements:

1. Statement of Solidarity: “We affirm that youth deserve to be treated with dignity and respect and be safe from abuse”

2. Statement of Commitment: “We are committed to working to address youth homelessness and prevent abuse or harassment of youth”

All Youth Allies will receive Youth Allies posters to display in visible areas so that the public can see the wide variety of institutions in the community that are Youth Allies.

For Congregations:

What should your congregation do to become a Youth Ally?

1. Get Input and Approval by your congregation’s governing council

2. General Education of congregation members. You decide what is the best way to do this for your congregation - here are some suggestions:

· Host an education day where everyone in the congregation gets information about the issue, why the congregation wants to be a Youth Ally, why it’s needed, and how people can get involved;

· Include regular education or announcements in congregation bulletins or other sources of information/communication.

3. Consider the ways in which your congregation/its members can contribute to working to address youth homelessness and prevent mistreatment of youth. Some suggestions:

· Run a drive for donations of supplies such as toiletries, warm clothes, etc.

· Volunteer with The Night Ministry, Blue Sky Inn, Center on Halsted, Youth Pride Center, or other agencies that serve homeless and at-risk youth

· Watch for Action Alerts from LAC’s Homeless Youth and Police Relations Task Force to know how you can be part of systemically addressing these issues

· Designate a representative or a team of lay leaders to be involved with LAC’s Homeless Youth and Police Relations Task Force

· Consider joining with another congregation to broaden your efforts to serve youth

· Consider how your space may be hospitable to youth in the long term

*It is not expected that Youth Allies will be direct service providers.

What can we do to help your congregation become a Youth Ally?

1. Offer training lead by staff of Lakeview Action Coalition and its partner service agencies to help you prepare for being a Youth Ally

· Training will be on issues related to homeless and at-risk youth, including resources available, risk factors, police relations with youth, and community organizing

· Training benefits clergy, staff, congregation leadership and membership

· Opportunity for congregation members to spend time discussing what they want to do as a Youth Ally.

2. Provide a list of resources and resource kit, including an “Action Pack” with information on the issue and how you can take concrete steps to address it.

3. Consult with you on logistics and provide staff support towards implementing your goals for volunteering, donation drives, activism and advocacy as a Youth Ally.

For Non-profits:

What should your organization do to become a “Youth Ally”?

1. Get input and approval by your organization’s head staff and board of directors;

2. General Education of staff and clients as per your discretion about what the Youth Allies campaign is;

3. Consider the ways in which your organization can work to be part of the Youth Allies network. Some suggestions:

· Designate a representative to participate with LAC’s Homeless Youth and Police Relations Task Force;

· Watch for Action Alerts from LAC’s Homeless Youth and Police Relations Task Force;

· Work with other Youth Allies who are interested in volunteering, donating, or contributing in other ways to supporting homeless, LGBT and other at-risk youth.

What can we do to help your organization become a Youth Ally?

1. Provide organizing training for staff and/or clients;

2. Provide speakers regarding LAC and the work of the Homeless Youth and Police Relations Task Force;

3. Direct Congregations and Businesses to support your organization and clients through the Youth Allies network by volunteering, making in-kind donations, and building political support issues of concern to your clients.

Youth Allies for Businesses is currently being written and will be posted on this website as soon as possible.

A committee is in the process of working with a designer to create a Youth Allies logo for the poster and other communication pieces. The poster will look something like this:

This Congregation is a

Youth Ally

Part of a network of Lakeview congregations, non-profits, and businesses working together to address youth homelessness and mistreatment towards homeless and at-risk youth

GRAPHIC DESIGN/SYMBOL here

We affirm that youth deserve to be treated with dignity and respect
and be safe from abuse

We are committed to working to address youth homelessness and
prevent abuse or harassment of youth

Part of a network of Lakeview congregations, non-profits, and businesses working together to address youth homelessness and mistreatment towards homeless and at-risk youth

GRAPHIC DESIGN/SYMBOL here

Lakeview Action Coalition logo