Liz Perzanowski
San Francisco, CA
Assistnat Manager- HSRC/OR
Larkin Street Youth Services
Role:
Direct Service Provider, Supervisor/Team Leader, Advocate
Area of Work:
Housing, Health, Mental Health, Substance Use, Outreach, Employment, Other
Focus of Work:
Local, State
Liz began working with Larkin Street Youth Services in 2007 as a Residential Counselor in the Emergency Shelter. Her passion for helping youth design systems of support for themselves brought her to the agency with a BA Degree in Recreation from Western Michigan University after working for two years at a Wilderness Therapy Program in the high desert region of Oregon. Since her start with LSYS, Liz has transitioned from the Emergency Shelter to the Haight Street Referral Center/Outreach Program as the Lead Outreach Counselor, then Case Manager and is now in a supportive Management role. Liz focuses on building drop-in and outreach services that are engaging and accessible to all youth at any point in their experience as a high risk/homeless young person. She works closely with staff to provide a client centered, strength based model of care based on the Harm Reduction Philosophy. She also supports staff in their own professional training and development. Liz has sat on panel discussions that address the need and reality of LGBTQ homeless and high risk youth and looks to make this population a focus (as well as at-risk/homeless youth) in her Masters Education in the Fall of 2012.
Organization/University: Larkin Street Youth Services
Homelessness is a current research interest?: - Unknown