- Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth
The annual Massachusetts Youth Count provides invaluable information on the experiences youth across the state have with homelessness and housing instability. This is a critical topic for LGBTQ youth, who are about twice as likely as others to face homelessness, and particularly affects youth of color.
The youth ambassador program provides leadership opportunities for those who have experienced homelessness or have been at risk for homelessness, and trains them to reach out to their peers to complete the Youth Count survey. The youth ambassadors help assure that the results of the Youth Count reflect the full breadth and depth of youth in diverse communities across the Commonwealth.
The Commission on LGBTQ Youth is pleased to announce a partnership with Youth Count to increase the number of ambassadors it can include in this important work, and to especially target LGBTQ youth of color, who represent one of the most at-risk populations to experience homelessness. Youth selected for the ambassador program will receive compensation and training on conducting outreach. They will also help to ensure that the Commonwealth has the best and most inclusive data possible, and that services for youth facing or at risk of homelessness are more culturally competent to meet their community’s needs.
Organizations wishing to promote this opportunity with the youth that they serve are encouraged to share this flier. For more information or technical assistance, please contact Commission Coordinator, Dharani Persaud, at dharani.persaud@state.ma.us.
