The City Club of Central Oregon is partnering with The Bulletin, Central Oregon’s daily newspaper, to host informed conversations that move the needle on important issues in our community. An in-depth report in The Bulletin will launch our inaugural effort on Oct. 17 regarding the topic, “How Do We Improve the Academic Success of Students Experiencing Houselessness?”
Unhoused students graduate high school at lower rates than their peer groups. How can our community help? Hear from three local people who live with this issue on a daily basis to gain insight and understanding.
Speakers: Uriah Barzola: 2021 Bend High School graduate (Southern Oregon University freshman)
Steven Wetherald: Graduate Coach at Bend High School and the High Desert Regional Teacher of the Year
Eliza Wilson: Program Manager, Grandma’s House
Moderator: Zack Demars: Reporter, the Bulletin We’ll take questions from you, too!
The Bulletin will host a Solutions Workshop at 5pm on November 4 to bring local decision-makers and advocates together to work toward evidence-based responses. The goal of the Solutions Workshop is to follow-up after the forum with a group of community members digging deeper into the issue. Ideally, the workshop attendees will have background and expertise to understand the issue and/or be able to offer resources and sustainable solutions. The workshop will be limited to 20 people. You must have watched the City Club forum. You will be required to show proof of vaccination. If you are interested in attending the Solutions Workshop, please contact Jody Lawrence-Turner at jlawrence-turner@bendbulletin.com.
Resources
HOT LINE: (541) 316-0890
Main: (541) 306-9311
Kindred Connections serves children, teens, families and individuals in a variety of ways. If the resources are available to help, Kindred Connections will meet the need.
Features of Kindred Connections
- Biological Parents maintain full custody
- Volunteer families are extensively screened and supported
- Hosting can be one day to one year depending on the situation.
- Average age of child in Kindred Connections care is 4.5
- Close working relationships between Kindred Connections, the local church, and the referring organization
Basic Center
Bend Office
2125 NE Daggett Lane
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 382-0934 (Office); (800) 660-0934
(541) 383-3024 (Fax)
cyfc@jbarj.org
Redmond Office
(all appointments are scheduled through the Bend Office)
Becky Johnson Community Center
412 SW 8th Street
Redmond, OR 97756
- 24 Hour Teen Crisis Hotline
- Family Mediation Services
- Crisis Intervention Services
- Emergency and Short-Term Shelter
- Information, Referral and Advocacy Services
- Intake, Assessment and Case Management Services
- Skill Building Support
- Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention
Transitional Living: A shelter for young people ages 16-21yo
The LOFT (Living Options for Teens)
19 SW Century Drive
Bend, OR 97702
(541) 318-3436 (Office)
(541) 585-2460 (Fax)
- Housing and transitional living support for up to 24 months
- Education planning and support
- Employment search assistance
- Career planning
- Life skills training
- Positive recreational opportunities
- Transition to self-sufficient living
- 24 hour hotline
- Crisis Intervention
- Family Mediation and Conflict Resolution Services
- Emergency Shelter
- Case Management Advocacy and connection to needed support services
Street Outreach Program
Drop in hours at our shelter provide homeless kids showers, food, laundry, and clothing. While visiting, they can access the internet for employment and education purposes, and gain help with hurdles to independence such as obtaining copies of a Birth Certificate, ID, and a SS Card. We can also help with state benefits (OHP, SSI, SNAP,) re-enrollment in school, and connection with resources for dental, medical, and mental health care.
- 24-hour hotline
- Crisis Intervention
- Family Mediation and Conflict Resolution Services
- Emergency Shelter
- Case Management Advocacy and connection to needed support services
Grandma’s House of Central Oregon
A shelter for pregnant and parenting young people ages 15-24yo
Address Undisclosed
(541) 383-3515 (Office)
(541) 604-4432 (Text Line)
- Housing and transitional living support for up to 24 months
- Education planning and support
- Employment search assistance
- Parenting Classes
- Child Birth Education
- Career planning
- Life skills training
- Positive recreational opportunities
- Transition to self-sufficient living
- Crisis Intervention
- Family Mediation and Conflict Resolution Services
- Emergency Shelter
- Case Management Advocacy and connection to needed support services
Resources in the Schools:
Bend LaPine School District Programs
Reflections:
Our October forum “How Do We Improve the Academic Success of Students Experiencing Houselessness?” was the first in City Club’s new partnership with The Bulletin. On a quarterly basis, we will present a forum following an investigative piece in the paper. Three pieces by Zack Demars appeared in the October 17th Bulletin issue:
- Adult connections, shelter are key to improving houseless graduation rates
- Students and advocates: Better support needed for homeless students
- Reporter’s notebook: Behind the story
The forum featured Southern Oregon University freshman Uriah Barzola, a former houseless youth, as well as, Steven Wetherald, Graduate Coach at Bend High School and the High Desert Regional Teacher of the Year and Eliza Wilson Program Manager at Grandma’s House and a former houseless youth.
Repeatedly the panelists identified connections to mentors, advocates and teachers as being key to the success of students facing houselessness. Students need someone they already trust to turn to when facing a crisis. They discussed how very difficult it is to focus on schoolwork when facing a lack of shelter, stability and even food. Houseless youth need to:
- Be seen and heard
- Be respected and feel free of judgement
- Feel supported
- Have shelter options for their circumstance
The conversation was a reminder that when it comes to youth, houselessness is something that is happening to the child and not a result of their actions. Someone else made decisions and the children must deal with the challenges. School may be the last connection they have to any level of support.
Several times during the forum, the panelists referred to the Mckinney Vento Act, which was most recently amended in 2015. The Act provides two key pieces of support for houseless students: the right to remain in the same school regardless of address and the ability to begin enrollment without all the normally required paperwork. This gives the student stability and options.
The panelist identified a few items that can make a difference:
● More options for houseless youth-places to stay that provide a stable environment
● Understanding that youth needs in shelter differs from adults
● Simply knowing where to refer a person you know or that your children know that is facing not having a home
● Offering acceptance and understanding
● Homework support
● Support for those mentoring and helping kids
● Stability and boundaries
Next Step: Solutions Workshop
The Bulletin and City Club will host a “Solutions Workshop” to keep the conversation going and find additional ways to boost the chances of our community’s houseless youth achieving a high school diploma. The workshop will be hosted by The Bulletin at 5 p.m. Nov. 4 to work toward evidence-based responses.
The workshop will be limited to 20 people. You must have watched the City Club forum. We are looking for residents who are an expert in the field, actively engaged with houseless solutions in our community, or has a lived experience they are open to talk about as we discuss solutions for the houseless issue in Central Oregon. If you’d like to attend the “Solutions Workshop” virtually, a link will be made available.
To attend the “Solutions Workshop,” please RSVP here by Nov. 2.
