This study explains the impact and challenges of youth ages 18-21 that contribute to homelessness after aging out of foster care. The challenges involve behaviors that occurred while living in foster care. Previous research studies explain that the challenges and risk factors of immoral behavior can cause aged out foster care youth to become homeless. Some youth experience abuse and mistreatment from families and foster care providers. This can cause a child to develop mental health issues making it hard to cope with life. Foster care youth with low school attendance can lead to a lack of education. No work experience and having no money can lead to sex trafficking and steeling, which leads to incarceration. All these risk factors can lead to homelessness with aged out of foster care youth. The data used by the previous research was The National Youth Homelessness Statistics. This data reflects that 20% of young adults who will experience homelessness after the first four years of aging are out of the system. The method used for this research is a case study to conduct semi-structured interviews of participants experiencing homelessness after aging out of foster care. In result, A study was done on youth without housing between the ages of 13-25. 29% of those young people who did not have housing between the ages of 13-25 were homeless. The goal is to create more interventions and implement policies to help foster care youth get involved in positive training, and mentoring programs to be independent.

As homelessness increases across California and its criminalization in public space grows, day centers designed to support those experiencing homelessness are increasingly important. Such centers provide a space people can be at and access resources, such as food, shelter, and health care services, and may also facilitate empowering changes. The purpose of the current study is to examine if and how homeless service organizations facilitate empowering changes and increased well being among the people who participate through an adapted version of Toolis, et al.,’s interview protocol. The two organizations in the study use different ideologies of service provision, which influence the political consciousness and expression of people who use their services. Through an analysis of qualitative interviews conducted with people who participated in Mary’s Kitchen, people who participated in the Hub OC, and people who participated at both organizations, this study identifies (1) if and how Mary’s Kitchen and the Hub facilitated empowering changes and increased well being among participants in similar and different ways; (2) what ideologies of service provision the organizations use; and (3) what the political consciousness and expression of people who use these services is. Findings seek to identify the features of a setting that foster an upward trajectory of unhoused folks’ well-being and the components that empower them rather than perpetuate self-blame.

Out-of-school programs and other organizations often use youth leadership to develop and facilitate meaningful and relevant programs for young people. However, an often-overlooked realm of young people's journey is their transition from program participants to key leaders, shaping and guiding initiatives within that organization. Therefore, it is critical to further understand how and why these young people transition from participants to leaders. This ethnographic study involves youth leaders and facilitators known as Emerging Professionals and Program Directors at a youth arts non-profit organization based in the Midwestern United States. Using ethnographic observations in trainings and camp meetings, interviews with five participants, and archival analysis, this study reveals who these youth leaders are, their roles, impacts on personal and professional development, and what adults can do to cultivate and support youth leadership. Leadership is a critical component to the roles and responsibilities of Emerging Professionals and Program Directors, yet they experience ambivalence about identifying oneself as a leader. Thus, this research holds the potential to transform the way youth workers, educators, and organizations approach youth engagement and leadership development in various settings.

Studies show that individuals experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity also experience trauma and mental illnesses. Despite this, many resources provided through state welfare services seldom allocate sufficient funds and personnel to help address mental health. This study investigates the relationship between housing insecurity and trauma for adult women who have tried to access assistance throughout Southern California. To do this, I conducted in-depth interviews and DSM-5 questionnaires with twelve women during the summer of 2023 and 2024 via Zoom. My findings show that adult women who have experienced homelessness and housing insecurity in Southern California were more susceptible to retraumatization by welfare services as long as they attempted to access it. The results from this study can be used to implement trauma-informed care services into welfare services and improve the resources for housing insecure women.