December 2011

Primary Sources: Screening Youth for Sex Trafficking

Invisibility: A Study of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Jefferson County, Alabama (PDF, 2035 KB), Freedom to Thrive and Youth & Family Services Network, 2010.

What it's about: The report brings to light the pervasive problem of sex trafficking in Alabama's Jefferson County and addresses the role social service agencies play in working with sexually trafficked runaway and homeless youth.

NCFY Recommends: MTV and GEMS Team up to Stop Human Trafficking

Research suggests that a runaway girl will be approached by a pimp within her first 48 hours on the street. A new campaign from MTV and three leading organizations in the fight to expose and end human trafficking can help youth workers understand commercial sexual exploitation and protect young people from it.

NCFY Recommends: Webinar on Helping Homeless Students Access Higher Education

This Thursday, the National Center for Homeless Education will host a webinar to help youth workers support homeless youth who are thinking about or already attending college. "Supporting Unaccompanied Homeless Youth in Accessing Higher Education" will be co-presented by NCHE's Christina Dukes and Mark Delorey, director of financial aid at Western Michigan University.

The webinar will take place December 8, from 2 p.m.-3 p.m. Eastern time. Visit NCHE to register.

Q&A: Kathryn S. Krase on Mandated Reporting for Youth-Serving Organizations

Recent allegations of child sexual abuse in a youth-serving organization founded  by a coach at Pennsylvania State University highlight the confusion that often surrounds state "mandated reporter" laws. These laws require certain professionals to report instances of suspected abuse. To tease out what youth-serving organizations need to do – both legally and ethically – to protect the young people they work with, NCFY spoke with Kathryn S.

New From NCFY: Achieving Well-being for Runaway and Homeless Youth

Based on years of work with runaway and homeless youth and the best emerging evidence about what youth need to succeed, the Family and Youth Services Bureau believes the most crucial outcomes for runaway and homeless youth include: well-being, permanent connections, safety and self-sufficiency

Best of NCFY 2011: Teen Pregnancy Prevention Series

This month, we’re highlighting the best NCFY Web content of the past year.

Preventing teen pregnancy is a priority of the federal government, with several new programs launched last year by the Department of Health and Human Services. So in May, NCFY devoted an issue of its online magazine for youth workers, The Exchange, to teen pregnancy prevention.

New Videos From NCFY: Youth Describe Their Most Meaningful Relationships: Marcus

An enduring relationship with a caring adult is one of the most important building blocks to a young person’s success. That’s why one of the Family and Youth Services Bureau’s primary goals is to help foster permanent connections for the young people they serve.

In a new video series, four youth talk about the adults who changed their lives. Together, these videos are a testament to the power of well-meaning adults to help young people get off the street, out of danger, or on a track toward self-sufficiency.

NCFY Recommends: CBS Covers Family Homelessness in Florida

A series of pieces by CBS News can help runaway and homeless youth programs show their communities the real faces—and real impact—of homelessness, and the ways that public schools and community leaders can be part of the solution.

Ask NCFY: Providing Support and Respect for Young People Living with HIV

Q: A youth in our shelter was just diagnosed with HIV. How can we best help her? And how can we help other young people in the program who may not understand what it means to have HIV?

A: The best way to support this young woman is to first take stock of her situation, says Latisha James, who coordinates youth programs at The Women’s Collective, a Washington, DC, organization that provides services and support to women and girls living with or at-risk for contracting HIV.

Bright Idea: Spread Holiday Joy to Youth While Staying Out of the Red

With the winter holiday season comes gift giving. Youth service programs try to bring a feeling of connection and value to young people, but money is tight. We asked FYSB grantees what they do to spread joy without breaking the bank. Shaleen Seward of Northland Family Help Center  in Flagstaff, AZ, and Vicki Stewart of Huckleberry Youth Programs in San Francisco had these helpful tips.

National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth | 5515 Security Lane, Suite 800 | North Bethesda, MD 20852 | (301) 608-8098 | ncfy@acf.hhs.gov