Program Overview
Friends of Youth's New Ground Transitional Living Program
provides safe housing, supportive case management services, life
skills training, educational and employment guidance, counseling and
parenting education for homeless young adults. The goal of the program is to
help residents achieve self-sufficiency, financial independence and
long-term housing stability. The New Ground program also works to prevent
child abuse, neglect, malnutrition, inadequate health care, and promote
healthy development of its infant population. Friends of Youth is the only
agency in North and East King County and Snohomish County that provides transitional living
services specifically targeted to homeless young adults who are single, families and pregnant or parenting
young women and their children. Services are provided at five
transitional living facilities:
- New Ground Bothell (in Bothell) houses 14 young women, ages 18-21, and their first child up to the age of 3 or for up to 2 years.
- New Ground Sand Point (in Seattle) houses 6 young women, ages 18-21, and their first child up to the age of 3 for up to 2 years.
- New Ground Avondale Park (in Redmond) includes 24 units for
families whose head of household is ages 18-24. Services are provided for up to 2 years.
- New Ground Kirkland (in Kirkland) houses 9 single young adults,
ages 18-21 for up to 18 months.
- New Ground Everett (in Everett) houses 12 single young adults,
ages 18-21 for up to 18 months.
Program Snapshot
Once enrolled in the program, New Ground residents work with case
managers to complete an Independent Living Plan (ILP). The ILP helps
identify individual goals including life skills, employment, education, and
permanent housing. Residents must meet with their case manager at least
once a week. Residents who are unemployed or interested in finding a
different job will meet with an employment specialist that assists with
resume building, job searches, interview preparation, and goal setting.
Residents are required to pay a $100 security deposit. If a
resident is unable to pay the deposit up front, a payment plan will be
established. Residents are required to pay 30% of their income in
rent, which teaches skills in budgeting and saving money for housing
expenses while establishing a rental payment history that will assist in
obtaining permanent housing upon program graduation.
Residents are required to perform 32 hours a week of active
participation toward goals that promote self-sufficiency. This time
must correspond with current goals set with the case manager. Some
activities that count toward the 32-hour productivity requirement include
employment, GED/high school/college classes, job searching, submitting
housing applications, and life skills classes.
Residents are also required to attend the program meetings that are
scheduled by case managers. These are typically evening meetings,
often 1-4 times per month, in which professionals and community members
speak to the group about resources, programs, and life skills/parenting
education. Some recent meeting topics include:
- Sexual Health Education & Family Planning
- Cultural Competency Workshop
- Cooking on a Budget
- Computer Training
- Arts and Crafts
- Girls' Night
- Guys' Night
- Safe Dating
- Leadership Development Series for young women including:
Building Bonds, Developing Powerful Capacities, Identifying our Filters
and Perspectives, Drama: The Cost and Payoff, Gremlins: Quieting our
Inner Critic, Communication, Credo and Commitment, Community and
Completion
- Drug Prevention Education
- Basic Household Maintenance
- Financial Management & Budgeting
- Resource Connection
- Hygiene and Personal Care
The maximum length of stay for each program differs, but it is
between 18-24 months. Aftercare for residents exiting the program is
provided for at least one year, helping to reinforce skills, provide
additional support and access to resources, and ensure stable, long-term
housing for former residents.