Using Statewide Networks to Assist
Homeless Youth in Making Successful
Transitions to Postsecondary Programs
National Association for the Education of Homeless
Children and Youth 25th Annual Conference,
Atlanta, GA
Presenters
• Shirley Fan-Chan,
• Director U-ACCESS
• University of Massachusetts Boston
• http://www.umb.edu/life_on_campus/uaccess
• Joan Meschino
• Executive Director
• MA Appleseed Center
• www.massappleseed.org
Presenters
• Pamela K. Kies-Lowe
• Homeless Education Consultant/State Coordinator for
Homeless Education
• Michigan Department of Education
• www.michigan.gov/homeless
• Cyekeia Lee
• National Higher Education Liaison for Homeless Youth
• National Association for the Education of Homeless Children
and Youth (NAEHCY)
• www.naehcy.org
Agenda
• Define Statewide Networks
• Goals & Roles for Statewide Network
• Statewide Network Model
• Overview of SPOC’s
• Best Practices: Colorado Network
• New Statewide Networks
• Panel Discussion
• Questions
What are Statewide Networks for
Homeless Youth?
• People and organizations working together to
help homeless students access and complete
postsecondary programs
• Often include one or more McKinney-Vento
and Higher Education Champions to cross
train
• Includes Stakeholders from K-12 education,
Local homeless liaisons, higher education staff,
RHYA and HUD shelter staff, and college access
program staff
Why are Statewide Networks
Needed?
• Last year 58,158 youth indicated on the FAFSA
that they were unaccompanied homeless
youth
• Many of the these youth need additional
assistance navigating higher education
systems
What Barriers do Statewide
Networks Address?
• Entrance requirements
• Financial aid eligibility/packages
• Housing
• Understanding of homelessness
• On-campus support
• Academic offerings and supports
• Supportive off-campus communities
Roles and Responsibilities of
Statewide Networks
• Define roles and responsibilities for
champions, taskforce, and SPOC’s
• Discuss communication (email, webex
meeting, conference call, in person,
newsletter)
• Discuss how often you will meet as a group
• At least one in person meeting per year
• Get data for population you are serving
• How many youth? Retention? Graduation?
• Develop one year plan of taskforce work
Create SPOC’s on Campuses
• A Single Point of Contact or (SPOC) is a safe
and supportive college administrator who is
committed to helping unaccompanied
homeless youth successfully navigate the
college-going process
• SPOC’s also identify offices that
unaccompanied homeless youth can go to for
additional campus services
Network Model
Step 1
Identify
Champions
Step 2
Conduct Focus
Group
Step 3
Develop Task
Force
• Identify MV
Champion
• Identify HE
Champion
• Define purpose
• Identify
Stakeholders
• Discuss
Network Goals
• Assess Needs
of Homeless
Youth
Network Model
Step 4
Train Task Force
Step 5
Identify Single
Points of
Contact s
Step 6
Get NAEHCY
Support
• Use NAEHCY &
NCHE Training
Materials for
trainings
• Identify SPOC’s
at each
institution
• Conduct SPOC
Training
• Contact
NAECHY Higher
Ed. Liaison
• Use
NAEHCY/NCHE
web resources
Best Practices: Colorado Network
Consists of stakeholders from:

Colorado Department of Education,K-12
McKinney-Vento Liaisons , Higher Education
personnel from Financial Aid, Admissions, and
Student Support Services
• Collaborates to streamline the verification process between
K-12 and higher education
• Has established Single Points of Contact (SPOCS) in all CO
colleges/universities to help eliminate barriers to higher
education access
Best Practices: Colorado Network
• Barriers addressed included waiving
application fees, deferring housing deposits,
and connecting students with community
resources
• In 2011 the Colorado taskforce along with the
nonprofit Family Tree established private
funding to assist UHY
• Meet three times a year, and conducts
individual SPOC training at each college
Existing Statewide Networks
Colorado*, North Carolina*, Kentucky, New
Hampshire
• Have identified champions
• Created Taskforce
• *Has established SPOC’s at each institution in
state
• Meets regularly to discuss new initiatives for
network
•
New Network States
• Michigan, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Oklahoma,
Massachusetts
• Identifying MV/HE Champions
• Assessing needs of youth in area
• Identifying taskforce members
• TRIO, GEAR-UP, NCAN, NACAC, NASFAA
• Gathering training material from
NAEHCY/NCHE
Panel Discussion
Resources from NAEHCY
• NAEHCY Toolkit: College Access and Success for
Students Experiencing Homelessness available at
http://www.naehcy.org/educational-resources/hetoolkit
• NAEHCY Higher Education Helpline
(855) 446-2673 (toll-free)
highered@naehcy.org
http://www.naehcy.org/educationalresources/helpline
• FAFSA Tips for Unaccompanied Youth Without Stable
Housing and Helping Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
Access College Financial Aid at
http://www.naehcy.org/educationalresources/higher-ed
Resources from NCHE
• Helpline: 800-308-2145 or homeless@serve.org
• Website: http://center.serve.org/nche
Access to Higher Education for Students Experiencing
Homelessness
http://center.serve.org/nche/ibt/higher_ed.php
Scholarships
http://center.serve.org/nche/ibt/scholarships.php
Sample Forms and Materials
http://center.serve.org/nche/forum/higher_ed.php
Questions?
Cyekeia Lee
National Higher Education Liaison for Youth
clee@naehcy.org, 734-258-8175
Website www.naehcy.org
NAEHCY Helpline, 855-446-2673
highered@naehcy.org