Point Source Youth

Last week we met with 47 amazing young people who provided crucial insight that will inform the DCT and DCTP projects that will be launching in 2025 with LAHSA and Youth Emissary respectively. We had two days of thoughtful conversations, knowledge sharing, and creativity, led collaboratively by PSY youth consultants and staff. Here is a quote from a participant "My hope for young people who receive cash is that they'll be able to feed themselves. They'll be able to wash clothes or pay a bill. They'll be able to find suitable housing and they'll treat themselves. They'll be able to get gas for their car. They'll be able to get medicine they need and pet care."

As we approach our 10th Anniversary next year, we’ve reorganized our work to focus specifically on the interventions that we believe will work best to prevent and end youth homelessness—initiatives that empower young people by placing resources directly in their hands. This #GivingTuesday, you can join us in putting power and resources directly in the hands of young people. Over the next year, with your help, we’ll double our reach from 15 to 30 communities across the country–and then expand to empower tens of thousands of young people to thrive–by piloting and scaling Direct Cash Transfers to reach those who need it most in places such as Washington state, Los Angeles, Oregon, and beyond. Help sustain the movement to end youth homelessness at https://lnkd.in/d9Th7SR.

Sharing this amazing paid storytelling program opportunity for NYC content creators and artists across a range of mediums to share their stories about unstable housing and homelessness over the course of 2025. Our friends at the Housing Narrative Lab are launching this paid NYC-based program called I ❤ Home: NYC Story Exchange. Check out the application form here! https://bit.ly/4iaOQVA

Direct cash transfer programs are being recognized as a powerful and effective intervention to prevent youth homelessness. At PSY, we’re proud to lead the charge on Direct Cash Transfers as Prevention, helping young people stay safe and stably housed in their communities. Thank you for amplifying DCT-Ps in your research ORS Impact & Community Solutions! Check out this report to learn more about DCT-Ps! ORS Impact & Community Solutions, Inc. https://bit.ly/4eHtr35

Join us at the PSY Innovation Summit for a fireside chat with Lady Shug, Erandy Flores, and Isaac Sanders that will celebrate the rich histories and contributions of Indigenous and queer communities in social justice and movement building. Participants will explore how these intersecting identities have shaped transformative movements and how their legacies continue to inform inclusive approaches to social change. The Innovation Summit will take place January 14-15 in Portland, Oregon. Register now at https://bit.ly/3XUJrcZ!

We recently spent the day with the Housing Narrative Lab and other housing justice orgs in NYC attending a Storytelling Deep Dive workshop! We learned so much about creating impactful messaging that honors the powerful work our organizations do. And it was beautiful to reconnect with our fellow community members!

Big thanks to Andrés (Andrew) Palomo for the shout-out! PSY is grateful for the incredible work being done by the National Network for Youth in advancing the movement to end youth homelessness. Shout-out as well to our local partners, Valley Youth House and Building Changes, for their ongoing commitment. At PSY, we're focused on direct cash transfers as a key strategy in our efforts to prevent and end youth homelessness. Together, we’re making progress!

On Trans Day of Remembrance, we honor and remember all of the trans lives lost to transphobic violence and to the compounding injustices experienced from trans young people’s disproportionately high experiences of housing instability. Today, we reflect on the profound impact of these losses, while also reaffirming our collective commitment to protect and uplift trans young people in our work to end youth homelessness. As we look ahead we recognize the critical need to show up for each other and continue the fight for justice. We are especially grateful for our trans siblings who dedicate themselves to supporting and empowering young people every day. Together, we remain resolute in centering trans safety, joy, and resilience in the movement to end youth homelessness. #TransDayOfRemembrance

If you have 15-20 minutes to spare, consider supporting the work to end youth homelessness by completing this survey from The Administration for Children and Families! ACF has launched a peer support services survey to hear directly from program providers/administrators and peer support workers. Check it out here: https://bit.ly/3Ofzbqc

📣 Louisville's guaranteed income pilot, YALift!, just released promising results! This groundbreaking program provided $500 monthly to 151 young adults, helping them tackle financial hardships, secure housing, and pursue job training and education. The program's impact is clear: recipients were 32% more likely to have full-time employment, three times more able to cover emergency expenses, and 70% less likely to face eviction compared to peers without this support. The success of YALift! amplifies the power of direct cash assistance that PSY believes in. When we trust and resource young people, they are able to lead thriving, fulfilling lives. Read more about it here! https://bit.ly/3O61tDq