OUR PROGRAM
Housing Families’ Youth Service & Engagement Program (YSEP) aims to educate middle and high students about homelessness in the Greater Boston Area and its impacts on children and families. We believe meaningful direct service work begins with a thorough understanding of the issue at hand. Thus, through participation in presentations and thoughtful discussions among peers and with invited guest speakers, we want students to understand the importance of combating housing insecurity and how it affects the daily lives of families—health, education, employment, etc. We also value student leaders and collaborators, encouraging our students to advocate for causes they are passionate about through their self-designed service projects. Ultimately, we want students to know they have the power and tools to make a difference of any size—big or small—in their community.
"After participating YSEP, I feel like I have a clearer understanding of what homelessness is and how people become homeless. YSEP has changed my perception of homelessness and makes me want to support homeless families more because I want to gain more experience with collecting donations and that there is more to issues that cause homelessness besides just being homeless." - Fall 2020 YSEP Member, Sophomore
Typical Program Schedule:
Week 1: Orientation: Intro to YSEP & HFI
Week 2: GREAT Youth Families Program & Trauma Training Week 3: Advocacy Week 4: Health & Homelessness Week 5: Introduction to Service Project & How to Execute Week 6: Project Proposals & Feedback Week 7: Execute Project no meeting Week 8: Execute Project no meeting Week 9: Final Project Presentations & YSEP Wrap-Up *YSEP encourages students to volunteer and support HFI during their community events as well |
Katie Byers (YSEP Student Director) and Molly Abrahamson (Associate Director, Individual Giving at Housing Families), our YSEP Leaders, will be present at all meetings. Additionally, throughout our program speakers from Housing Families and beyond will give presentations and lead discussions during our meetings. Speakers may include Laura Rosi (CEO of Housing Families), Elizabeth Kia (Clinical Director at Housing Families' GREAT Youth & Families Program), Gary Christenson (Mayor of Malden), Dr. Jonathan Gabbay, or Allison Wu (YSEP Founder).
Students will complete one service project in their community during YSEP. They will plan and carry out their project independently or in pairs with guidance and feedback from Katie and Molly. The service project is a key component of our program designed to teach students how to take initiative and organize a project to benefit the community. We encourage students to take the skills they learn from executing their service project and continue to organize projects in the future.
We begin thinking about the service project in Week 4, but do not formally introduce the project until Week 5. Students are mentored through the process of planning their projects and will brainstorm ideas with their peers. In Week 6, students will propose their ideas to the group and receive feedback to help improve their projects. YSEP currently has 3 extensive service project guides (drives, fundraisers, and selling creations), which the students will have access to. Students then have 3 weeks to execute their project before their final presentation, where students will have the opportunity to share their successes and reflect on their challenges.
We begin thinking about the service project in Week 4, but do not formally introduce the project until Week 5. Students are mentored through the process of planning their projects and will brainstorm ideas with their peers. In Week 6, students will propose their ideas to the group and receive feedback to help improve their projects. YSEP currently has 3 extensive service project guides (drives, fundraisers, and selling creations), which the students will have access to. Students then have 3 weeks to execute their project before their final presentation, where students will have the opportunity to share their successes and reflect on their challenges.
Homework
Students will be expected to actively participate in group discussions and complete their brief homework assignments. Every week, students will be given an assignment through Google Classroom, which they are expected to complete by the next meeting. Our assignments will vary in length (5-45 minutes), but we will try to keep them brief. Students may be asked to do research on topics we will discuss, create presentations, or reflect on a discussion/presentation. We create these assignments to allow each student to extend their learning on homelessness.
Time Commitment & Location
YSEP is a hybrid program with weekly meetings conducted over Zoom and one final in-person meeting at Housing Families in Malden, MA (additional in-person service events will be announced during the session). Our meetings occur weekly on Sundays from 10am-11am unless otherwise noted.* We expect students to attend every YSEP meeting. In addition to the 7 hours of meetings, students will spend their own time on weekly homework assignments and their service project. Depending on the student and type of service project, the project may take 6-12+ hours of outside time. If needed, students may count this program as community service credit (should it fulfill their school's requirement).
*There are no meetings during Week 7 or 8.
*Students are expected to notify YSEP leaders when they will not attend a meeting.
*There are no meetings during Week 7 or 8.
*Students are expected to notify YSEP leaders when they will not attend a meeting.
Parent/Guardian Involvement
In our program, we want students to take on their own independent leadership, especially during their service projects. There is no parent involvement required for this program; however, parents may choose to advertise service projects by sharing fundraisers, drives, etc. with friends and family. Parents are welcome to attend the session's final in-person meeting to tour Housing Families' GREAT Youth & Families Program and listen to student service project presentations.
"I have a clearer understanding of homelessness and YSEP/HFI has definitely triggered an initiative in my mind to advocate and support more. I think the program does a great job of educating and providing useful ways to get out and help!" - Spring 2021 YSEP Member, Sophomore