The Harbour Agency Launches New Harbour 24/7 Program for Homeless Youth
PARK RIDGE, Ill. (PRWEB) December 27, 2017 -- The new Harbour 24/7 Program has been developed to improve communication with young people, raise awareness among those who are homeless or in crisis and provide access to the resources at The Harbour and partner agencies in the North/Northwest Suburbs.
As its name suggests, Harbour 24/7 will provide an immediate response and access system to its constituent youth. A new text line has been established for their use; text “shelter” to 77948. Social media access has also been set up, and additional social media programs are being added (i.e., Instagram). The Harbour will also produce new pamphlets describing their services, and distribute these among the community. The agency will start the new year with the launch of a microsite, designed specifically for youth in search of services. Transportation to The Harbour site will be accessible through these various communications vehicles. The Harbour 24/7 site features information for youth in crisis, avenues to reach The Harbour staff for emergency support, and a full list of suburban resources.
The Harbour team will provide homeless youth with immediate low-barrier access to basic short-term services, such as a safe bed, clothing and food, while assessing their longer-term needs and providing up to 3 weeks of shelter care.
Harbour 24/7 initiatives also allow for provisioning materials for distribution to:
- Police departments in each of the 39 municipalities served
- Partner non-profit organizations
- High schools
- Local Township offices
The objectives of the Harbour 24/7 program include:
1. Creating new avenues for youth to connect with services, which will help assess the need in our communities.
2. Increase youth access by 50%, as reflected by the number of contacts in the first year.
3. Increase utilization of shelter services by 20%.
4. Improve the number of referrals and linkages for youth in crisis by 50%.
5. Utilization of housing options to increase by 50%.
In summary, the new Harbour 24/7 initiatives will improve the identification of suburban youth who are experiencing homelessness. They will have immediate access to safe space and greater access to resources at The Harbour.
For more information about The Harbour, please visit: http://www.theharbour.org.
About The Harbour
The Harbour provides a comprehensive continuum of housing and case management services to youth in crisis, ages 12 to 23, in the North and Northwest suburbs of Cook County. The agency is the only state-licensed program providing emergency shelter and transition living services to homeless youth over the age of 18.
Since 1971, The Harbour has provided housing and supportive services to community youth in crisis in the North and Northwest suburbs of Cook County. Since our founding, thousands of youth have passed through our doors who were deflected from homelessness, graduated from our programs, and are now living independently.
Today, our wide spectrum of youth housing options ensures we can meet youth where they are and provide comprehensive services designed to foster self-sufficiency and success. Youth are provided with individualized services through three core programs:
- Safe Harbour Emergency Shelter
- Youth in Transition
- Successful Teens/Effective Parents (STEPs)
While The Harbour receives some financial support from the State of Illinois, it relies on donations to provide the support needed to continue providing its services. Monthly donations, bequests and small single donations are gratefully accepted.
The Harbour is headquartered in Park Ridge, IL.
Kris Salyards, The Harbour, http://www.theharbour.org, +1 (847) 893-0638, [email protected]
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