The National Network for Youth posted a blog entry about Voices of Youth Count. The entry was written by Bryan Samuels, Executive Director of Chapin Hall. The post can be read on the NN4Y website here. It is also reproduced in full below:

June 26, 2015

Establishing a reliable national estimate of youth homelessness

Voices of Youth Count is an exciting collaborative effort aimed at leveraging rigorous research techniques to create a reliable national estimate of youth homelessness, more clearly understand the issues of running away and homelessness from the youth’s perspective, and ultimately share policies and practices that research indicates are best for meeting their needs.

As NN4Y members well know, the federal government does not have an accurate national estimate of the number of unaccompanied homeless and runaway youth. Dedicated efforts have been put forward, but a lack of consistent methodology has made it impossible to establish a credible national number. As a result, we don’t have a clear roadmap that links programmatic and fiscal policy with the most effective interventions to get young people to the life outcomes we all know they can achieve.

Voices of Youth Count is seeking to fill that gap in our knowledge, as well as to directly capture from youth their experiences and elevate those voices as part of a rigorous process. We will also examine the evidence, analyze policies and the effectiveness of current investments, and ultimately translate what we find into meaningful change.

Voices of Youth Count is eager to work with and survey providers across the country as we connect with young people. Beginning in mid-2015 through 2017, Voices of Youth Count will engage approximately twenty-five nationally representative urban, suburban and rural sites in counts, surveys and interviews. Our research efforts include carefully monitored protocols to protect individual youth. We will also analyze data from schools, foster care systems, and human service agencies.

As we learn, evidence and recommendations will be brought to federal and state leaders, as well as to communities, where we know providers and practitioners are in the best position to make decisions about how to align and effectively use resources to meet the needs of young people.

We welcome those of you who live this work day in and day out to be our partners. It will not be easy, perfect or fast, but we pledge to bring forward the best science and interdisciplinary thinking, to share our methods, to listen to you and the youth themselves, and to form an ongoing partnership of learning for the next two years and beyond.

Visit and join Voices of Youth Count.