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for a friend... seeking organizations that offer practicle support to abandoned youth

Discussion in 'Coming Out Advice' started by Caoimhe Fayre, Sep 14, 2012.

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  1. Caoimhe Fayre

    Caoimhe Fayre
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    at PFLAG today, I heard third hand about a young person in the Northern US who has been abandoned by his parents and family because he came out as gay, and is currently living in a homeless shelter. it sounds like he really needs a lot of psychological, social, and most of all practical support, in light of his coming out experience which did not go positively at all.

    I know I've seen people suggesting organizations that could help to various posters here, but I can't remember any of those organizations or anything to pass on to the people who are trying to help this young man.

    so I'm hoping that some of you can help me help these wonderful people help this young man, whom I've never met but who clearly needs the help. what are the organizations that help LGBT youth who've been abandoned because of their orientation get back on their feet and have a chance at life again?
     
    #1 Caoimhe Fayre, Sep 14, 2012
  2. Chip

    Chip
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    Re: for a friend... seeking organizations that offer practicle support to abandoned y

    If the person is under 18, nearly every city/county in the US will take him in through their social services system and place him in appropriate housing. That varies by location; in some enlightened places, for those near 18, they have transitional housing where the person has a lot of independence and the focus is on teaching life skills.

    In California, they've recently created funding for youth who were previously in the foster care system who are between 18 and 21 to help them transition into adulthood. And in Atlanta, they have transitional programs for youth 16 to 18 designed to do the same thing. Many other states or locales have similar programs.

    It all depends on where he actually is.
     
    #2 Chip, Sep 14, 2012
  3. Caoimhe Fayre

    Caoimhe Fayre
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    Re: for a friend... seeking organizations that offer practicle support to abandoned y

    if he's in his early 20s, so still young but too old for foster care? he was living at home when he came out, and now has nowhere to stay and has been really depressed over being thrown out.
     
    #3 Caoimhe Fayre, Sep 14, 2012
  4. Chip

    Chip
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    Re: for a friend... seeking organizations that offer practicle support to abandoned y

    Ack. Resources are very, very limited for people over 18. The California program, as far as I know, is pretty unique.

    I'm surprised that PFLAG itself hasn't been able to come up with good resources, since that's where I'd probably go first. The parents of kids who are gay would seem to be the best source of resources for other kids who are rejected, and I've known of quite a few who have taken in kids in need of help.
     
    #4 Chip, Sep 14, 2012
  5. HatterMad

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    Re: for a friend... seeking organizations that offer practicle support to abandoned y

    I wish I could help with names and numbers, except I wanted to say....

    In an ideal world homeless youth are taking in by a loving social services system and placed in a home with open-minded caring people....in actuality he's probably lucky to have aged out of the system before his parents threw him out. I have been in good places and bad places and I'll tell you now the places where they don't accept gay kids FAR outnumber any other home at least in the area/state where I live. I know my social worker told me once they are trying to get more gay and lesbian couples to foster children, but there are jsut so many lgbt kids versus very few couples who are also, or who are at least not narrow.

    I have to say it may be a good idea to call the Departmint of Human Services and ask them for help. They may be able to refer him to job training programs, better housing, and such.
     
    #5 HatterMad, Sep 14, 2012
  6. Caoimhe Fayre

    Caoimhe Fayre
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    Re: for a friend... seeking organizations that offer practicle support to abandoned y

    well so far it's just an elderly couple from my PFLAG group attempting to help this young man, and the amount that our group can do is limited because we're on the other side of the border from him but I was hoping there'd be something else I could suggest to help him.

    they are trying to get him connected with a supportive community in the US, but I'm not from the US and don't really know what they have over there. I know it's even less than what we have in Canada for at-risk LGBT young people, but I was thinking that because of EC I still have access to more information than them.

    so there really isn't a lot of help for young LGBT persons who are abandoned over their sexuality? that sucks, but I guess it means there's something for our generation to begin working on and advocating for.

    I'd have offered him at least a couch to sleep on temporarily, and help accessing social services and government assistance, but he's on the other side of the border so I can't help with any of that.

    I'll wait another day in case there's any really awesome suggestions that crop up, and then I'll e-mail them and let them know what I could find. At the very least, if he can find access to a computer at a library or something, maybe he'll find his own way onto EC and find some emotional support that way.
     
    #6 Caoimhe Fayre, Sep 15, 2012
  7. AllyCat

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    Re: for a friend... seeking organizations that offer practicle support to abandoned y

    Not sure if your friend is in New York, but that is where the Ali Forney center is, which provides housing for homeless LGBT youth. If you go to their website at aliforneycenter.org and click "Get Help" it lists resources in 17 other states.
     
    #7 AllyCat, Sep 15, 2012
  8. Caoimhe Fayre

    Caoimhe Fayre
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    Re: for a friend... seeking organizations that offer practicle support to abandoned y

    hey, thanks AllyCat!! I e-mailed that site onto the people trying to help this young man. it should be a huge help - they have one in his area, looks like, so at the most he might have a safer place to stay than the homeless shelter and at the least they might be able to help point him in the direction of some resources to get him on his feet.
     
    #8 Caoimhe Fayre, Sep 16, 2012
  9. AllyCat

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    Re: for a friend... seeking organizations that offer practicle support to abandoned y

    Yay, I'm so glad I could help! :slight_smile:
     
    #9 AllyCat, Sep 16, 2012
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