Peer Outreach Team Hits the Streets of Minneapolis

In an effort to meet people where they are at, YouthLink’s peer outreach team is a consistent presence on the streets of Minneapolis. Leaving the drop-in center four days per week, they will walk about five miles around downtown handing out basic necessities like food, water, and in the past year, masks and other personal protective equipment. In 2020, they made more than 2,300 contacts on the streets and gave out 1,500 meal kits to those who were 90% BIPOC youth.

They also provide information on access to resources and bus tokens. “Thank you very much, the bus token you guys gave me two weeks ago helped me go to an interview and guess what…I got the job,” a young person said recently to one of our outreach workers, who then proceeded to proudly show the YouthLink staff member their new uniform as a security staffer.

“The most common question we get is ‘Is YouthLink open today?’” says Angel Sandro, an Outreach and Opportunity Navigator who has worked at YouthLink for six years. Sporting royal blue and yellow vests with the YouthLink logo prominently displayed across the back, peer outreach team members also receive inquiries from curious adults interested in learning more about the nonprofit organization. In addition to their general presence downtown, they also receive requests to staff specific events like the Pride parade or Twins home opener and sometimes work in other areas of Minneapolis such as the Midtown Greenway.

Safety is paramount for the peer outreach team, who always goes out in groups of two or three and only works during the day. As one staff member approaches someone, another stands back to make sure they are safe. “I refer to this as the Batman and Robin approach,” says Sandro. One of the more frightening things they have seen is a collision between a car and the light rail train near city hall – the driver tried to beat the train and ended up being taken away in an ambulance. As they trek through downtown, they check in with other groups like Mad Dads and Downtown Improvement District ambassadors, all trying to meet people where they are at.

As a nonprofit organization, YouthLink depends on donations from community members to help us provide assistance to some of the most vulnerable members of our society – teens and young adults experiencing homelessness. Please consider a donation today!