For Alana Aquino, it’s the “full circle moments” that keep her going.
As director of New Avenues for Youth’s Alba Collaborative, she’s witnessed firsthand the impact of providing a safe haven for young people ages 9 to 17 experiencing housing instability.
Like Mel.
Mel (a pseudonym to protect her identity) was in middle school when her mom connected with the Alba team for emergency shelter. While her mom focused on establishing long-term stability for the family, Mel came to stay with Alba. While in the shelter, she continued to attend school, met with her case manager and her mom, and went on outings on the weekend with the Alba team and other youth.
When Mel’s mom was approved for an apartment, Mel’s case manager introduced Mel to a mentor for ongoing community-based support as she adjusted to a new school and new home.
“We have heard the hard and challenging stories, but we also have those who have come back, and so many positive things that counteract the 100 negative things from before,” said Aquino.
The Alba Collaborative is a partnership among Youth Progress, National Safe Place Network and Multnomah County’s Department of County Human Services that helps youth in crisis who need a safe place to stay. Stood up during the COVID-19 pandemic, the program is marking its five-year anniversary. But the need for services remains as deep as ever. Since its launch, Alba has connected with over 1,000 youth.
The Alba Collaborative is “a certified emergency shelter program where youth can walk in into the building, call and come by cab, or arrive however they need to get here, and can access resource referral and more,” Aquino said.
The Youth Opportunity Center in Rockwood is one such location that’s open 24/7 for youth in crisis. They are the only emergency shelter in Multnomah County that specifically serves youth under the age of 18.
A young person may come to the program for many reasons: They may have an unsafe situation at home, or sometimes a parent facing housing instability needs a place for their child to stay while they work on securing long-term housing.
“Our job is to explore what’s happening,” Aquino said. “Sometimes it’s conflict or communication. Sometimes there's financial issues impacting the family. Sometimes it's abuse or neglect. Our main goal is figuring out why this person is here and supporting their path to success.”
When someone first comes to the program, they get settled into a comfortable, homey and welcoming space. The goal is to establish trust early, so they can build on that foundation to address core issues. The program offers meals, beds and showers, and hygiene supplies for immediate physical needs, then case management, mentorship, therapy and more for longer-term support. That includes access to affirming services for those who are LGBTQIA2S+.
Case management and mentorship teams work together to address needs and goals self-identified by participants.
“Our goal is to achieve reunification with family and stabilization in the community whenever that is safe and viable,” Aquino says. “A lot of our case managers help map out who’s in their life, who they can count on and what resources they can access... looking at the closest circle and who they can stay with in a day-to-day way.”
A first option might be a guardian. A second could be an aunt, family friend or grandparent. “Then we’re looking to see if there’s a friend [they can stay with].” Alba participants can also be connected with additional programs through New Avenues for Youth or other partner agencies.
“Generally, we’re trying to work on multiple plans at once,” said Aquino. “The ideal goal is if a young person is supported by a natural network/family or community, they're less likely to be exposed to exploitation, adult homelessness and other negative outcomes.”
The Alba Collaborative is run by over two-dozen people to ensure 24/7 site and community support. That includes four mentors, each carrying a caseload of about 15 youth, who can play an especially critical support role as youth transition from emergency shelter and back to community.
“That’s something we’ll wrap around youth,” said Aquino. “Maybe it’s a youth who’s not getting along with their parents. We’ll assign a mentor to help with mediation and keep them stable.”
The program also offers family mediation and therapy meant to help families get on the same page and create shared expectations and boundaries.
“If there are things on a deeper level, we will link to therapy,” Aquino said.
Some participants might get connected to New Avenues for Youth’s two-year transitional housing program, offering wraparound services, or they can connect with New Avenues’ GED program.
“There are a lot of ways we come into their life and work to build skills. Ultimately, we want to see them move out of the system, have a mentor, receive support and graduate,” said Aquino. “We help them with school, train for and find a job. We ask them: ‘Who do you talk to when you’re having a hard time? How can we wrap that person into your plan?’”
Referrals may come from various channels, including schools where outreach workers may go. Young people can even refer one another.
The Collaborative is part of Safe Place, a national network of organizations where young people can find immediate help. Organizations displaying the Safe Place logo in windows or other prominently visible places have staff trained to support and connect young people in crisis with stability and shelter.
There are 38 Safe Place sites throughout Multnomah County, including YMCAs, community centers, businesses and social services facilities. Any location in the U.S. displaying the Safe Place logo can help a young person access shelter.
Since Alba opened its doors, 91% of the youth in its emergency housing go on to safe and stable housing — immensely positive news since each day a young person spends on the streets can increase their risk of long-term homelessness.
“We are consistently at capacity and we’re seeing an increased need for this resource,” said Aquino. “It’s really important to have spaces for teens. We want to be a place where youth can be safe.”
Aquino also recognizes one of the primary drivers of youth instability and crisis is youth that are not affirmed in their identity, and says that Alba Collective is working to address it head on.
“We’re offering out more resources for LGBTQIA2S+ youth because we do see a lot of youth coming into the program because they’re not accepted at home, and that’s where we provide education to parents.”
New Avenues for Youth is also home to SMYRC, an LGBTQIA2S+ youth resource and community center that Alba youth can access. Aquino and others see negative cycles get broken and more positive cycles taking hold.
“We have youth who are 15 or 16, and as they approach aging out [of the program], they are looking into college, doing tours with their mentors,” she said. “We focus on creating stability in the home and fostering the foundation for their life and what they can build on.
“We help establish structure, create goals and possibilities, share accountability, and enjoy seeing all their hard work come to fruition.”
Many youth are invited to come back to participate on an advisory board and give feedback on the program.
“This allows us to ask young people what resources they really want. They’ve advocated for educational specialists, and similarly for the therapist position.”
The program has expanded its array of services in response to insights from youth.
The Alba team supports youth through some of their hardest moments in crisis, homes in on their strengths and resilience, and helps them move toward safety, stability and opportunity.
“Teens are going through hard things but they’re gonna crack jokes and have fun and there’s lightness there. It’s uplifting.”
The Alba Collaborative is a program of New Avenues for Youth, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and intervention of youth homelessness. Since 1997, their programs and services have impacted more than 30,000 young people as they work to overcome barriers, pursue their goals, and realize their potential. From supporting basic needs like meals and counseling to providing opportunities for education, job training, employment, and housing, they meet youth where they are — and help them get where they want to go.
Learn More: Call Alba Collaborative at 971-754-4350 or visit newavenues.org/
