YOUTH ON THEIR OWN

THE MISSION OF YOTO IS TO SUPPORT THE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION AND CONTINUED SUCCESS OF YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS IN PIMA COUNTY. SERVICES ARE DESIGNED TO HELP MEET YOUTH'S BASIC NEEDS SO THEY CAN FOCUS LESS ON THEIR HOUSING INSTABILITY OR FOOD INSECURITY AND MORE ON IN-SCHOOL SUCCESS. GUIDANCE COUNSELORS AND SOCIAL WORKERS WITHIN 100+ AREA SCHOOLS VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO SERVE AS "YOTO LIAISONS" TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL HOMELESS STUDENTS, HELP THEM ENROLL IN YOTO, AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT TO THEM THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. SERVICES AVAILABLE TO YOTO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS AT NO COST, INCLUDE: O ACADEMIC STIPENDS (UP TO 350/MONTH) BASED ON LEVEL OF NEED AND SCHOOL ATTENDANCE; FLEXIBLE STIPENDS (E.G., BASIC NEEDS FUNDING); GRADUATION AWARDS; SCHOLARSHIPS. O BASIC NEEDS MATERIAL SUPPORT (E.G., HYGIENE SUPPLIES, SHELF-STABLE FOOD, SCHOOL SUPPLIES, ETC.) VIA THE YOTO MINI-MALL AND OTHER PERSONAL NEEDS (E.G., DENTAL CLEANINGS, HAIRCUT VOUCHERS, ETC.). O TRANSPORTATION ASSISTANCE (E.G., UBER HEALTH RIDES AND TAXI FARES). O ONGOING ACADEMIC SUPPORT, INCLUDING COLLEGE AND CAREER GUIDANCE. O REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOR HOUSING, HEALTHCARE, AND OTHER UNMET NEEDS. BY PROVIDING ACCESS TO FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, BASIC NEEDS ITEMS, AND ONE- ON-ONE GUIDANCE, YOTO GIVES YOUTH WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS THE TOOLS AND SUPPORT THEY NEED TO GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL AND REACH THEIR GOALS. UNACCOMPANIED YOUTH EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS DEPEND ON SCHOOL-BASED SUPPORTS (TEACHERS/COUNSELORS, TUTORING, BREAKFAST/LUNCH SERVICES, ETC.) AND SOCIAL NETWORKS (FRIENDS, COACHES, TEAMMATES, ETC.) FOR POSITIVE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT, CONSISTENCY, AND TEMPORARY HOUSING CONNECTIONS. ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN OUR THREE LARGEST PROGRAM SERVICE AREAS INCLUDE: YOUTH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS CAN EARN A MONTHLY STIPEND OF UP TO 350 TO INCENTIVIZE SCHOOL PARTICIPATION AND ATTENDANCE. YOUTH IN THE MOST UNSTABLE SITUATIONS (THOSE WHO ARE LIVING IN THEIR CAR, PARENTING, ETC.) CAN EARN THE HIGHEST STIPEND AMOUNT OF 350. TO RECEIVE A STIPEND, STUDENTS MUST MEET SCHOOL ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS. IN 2024-2025, 1,128,250 WAS INVESTED IN YOUTH ACADEMIC FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. IN ADDITION, YOUTH WHO WERE FACING EVICTION OR STREET HOMELESSNESS EARNED 38,835 THROUGH OUR DIRECT CASH TRANSFERS AS PREVENTION(DCT-P) PROGRAM. BASIC NEEDS: YOTO YOUTH ARE PROVIDED ACCESS TO FREE BASIC NEEDS SUCH AS FOOD, CLOTHING, HYGIENE ITEMS, AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES AT THE YOTO MINI-MALL. UBER HEALTH RIDES AND TAXI RIDES ARE ALSO PROVIDED TO ELIMINATE TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING YOTO WORKSHOPS, SCHOOL, AND WORK. IN 2024-2025, YOTO YOUTH VISITED THE ON-SITE MINI MALL 3,005 TIMES AND YOTO DISTRIBUTED 179,643 BASIC NEEDS ITEMS TO PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. IN ADDITION, YOTO DISTRIBUTED, 174 CAP AND GOWN STIPENDS, 32 DENTAL SERVICES THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH MARTIN TAYLOR DENTISTRY, 112 HAIRCUT VOUCHERS, 22 NEW HOME KITS THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH VIVA PIMA, 177 UBER AND TAXI RIDES, 19 DONATED BIKES THROUGH EL TOUR DE TUCSON AND 39 LAPTOPS. ONGOING PARTNERSHIPS IN FY25 ENABLED YOTO TO PROVIDE 11 GENDER AFFIRMING PRODUCTS TO TRANS YOTO YOUTH (PARTNERSHIP WITH VALIDUSA), 798 FRESH MEAL KITS (PARTNERSHIP WITH THE TUCSON FAMILY FOOD PROJECT), 2,056 1-GALLON BAGS OF PET FOOD (PARTNERSHIP WITH CODY'S FRIENDS), AND 1,987 PAIRS OF SOCKS (PARTNERSHIP WITH BOMBAS). GUIDANCE: BECAUSE YOTO YOUTH ARE ON THEIR OWN, THEY OFTEN LACK THE SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE THAT COMES FROM A CARING PARENT. YOTO PROVIDES ONE-ON-ONE GUIDANCE, ENCOURAGEMENT, COLLEGE AND CAREER ASSISTANCE, AND CONNECTIONS TO OTHER SERVICES IN THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, YOTO SERVES AS AN ADVOCATE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE WHEN THEY NEED SUPPORT NAVIGATING SERVICES AND SYSTEMS. YOTO'S SCHOOLS PROGRAM COORDINATORS ARE VITAL TO YOUTH ENGAGEMENT IN SERVICES AND HELPING STUDENTS STAY IN SCHOOL. ALUMNI PROGRAM COORDINATORS PROVIDE WORKSHOPS TO SUPPORT YOUTH'S POST-SECONDARY PLANS. IN FY25, 62 YOUTH PARTICIPATED IN A FAFSA WORKSHOP, 20 YOUTH ATTENDED A RESUME WORKSHOP, 23 YOUTH ATTENDED THE PIMA FOR YOTO EVENT, WHICH IS A COLLABORATION BETWEEN YOTO, PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, EARN TO LEARN, AND PIMA COUNTY ONE STOP. IN FISCAL YEAR 2025, A TOTAL OF 1,459 YOUTH WERE ENROLLED IN YOTO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. IN FY25, 78% OF YOTO YOUTH REPORTED THAT GUIDANCE GIVEN BY YOTO SUPPORTED THEM IN ACHIEVING THEIR GOALS AND 94% FELT WELCOMED WHEN THEY VISITED THE MINI MALL. YOTO SCHOOL LIAISONS ARE SCHOOL COUNSELORS, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND OTHER KEY SCHOOL STAFF AT EACH OF THE SCHOOLS IN PIMA COUNTY. IN ADDITION TO THEIR PAID ROLES AT SCHOOL SITES, THESE INDIVIDUALS ALSO VOLUNTEER TO HELP FACILITATE THE YOTO PROGRAM ON THEIR CAMPUS. 54.2% OF YOTO LIAISONS HAD AN AVERAGE BETWEEN 2-10 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER HOURS.