This month, we’re excited to feature a guest perspective on the YouthLink blog from our Housing Director, Kevin Nye. With more than a decade of experience working in homelessness services, Kevin brings a thoughtful, on-the-ground understanding of what it truly takes to support young people on their path to stability. In this blog post, Kevin…
At YouthLink, education and career support isn’t a standalone service—it’s woven throughout everything we do. Across our Drop-In Center and Housing programs, case managers work alongside young people to identify goals, build stability, and take meaningful steps toward education and employment in ways that feel achievable and sustainable for each individual. For young people who have experienced homelessness, pathways to education and…
The holidays should be a time of warmth and joy, but for too many young people and families in our community, this time of year brings feelings of stress, worry, and loneliness. You can change that. YouthLink is gearing up for our busiest holiday party and Santa Shop yet, happening Thursday December 18, and we…
At YouthLink, our goal goes beyond providing housing—we work alongside young people to help them build a foundation for a safe, stable, and fulfilling life. Nicollet Square, one of the two site-based supportive housing complexes where we provide services, embodies this goal every day. Located in south Minneapolis, Nicollet Square was built by Beacon Interfaith…
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”]Whether he’s walking into a room or onto a soccer field, A, one of the players on the YouthLink Up-Top Soccer Team, fills the space with positivity and enthusiasm. This easy optimism is one of the many reasons he was chosen to represent the U.S. as part of the…
So often youth who come to seek service somewhere like YouthLink are in crisis. They come to us with an immediate need that has to be addressed, and that need becomes the focus—instead of the whole person. While food, shelter, job assistance, etc., are all critical, we realized we could be more impactful and transformative…
Written by Emily Johnson, Housing Case Manager The young people beginning their new lives at Archdale and St. Barnabas apartments have exemplified the meaning of “flexible” when it comes to their fitness rooms. Unfortunately, this has not been thanks to yoga classes or stretch bands, but due to dealing with broken equipment, closed fitness rooms,…
On June 17th we had one of our favorite events – our annual graduation ceremony to celebrate youth who received their high school diploma, earned their GED, or completed a postsecondary certification or training course while experiencing homelessness. It was a moving ceremony complete with graduation march, certificates of achievement, youth and community speakers, and…
Photo Credit: Street Soccer USA On May 29, 2016, the “Up Top” Street Soccer USA team won their fifth national tournament in Philadelphia. Coming from behind, they were able to pull through and win the championship—but it wasn’t easy. On top of everything else, this soccer team that brings young people experiencing homelessness together also…
Youth will soon have another opportunity to connect to educational pathways thanks to a new collaboration with the GED Testing Service and the Minnesota Literacy Council to add onsite GED testing and additional GED tutors to YouthLink’s community of resources. 67% of YouthLink clients* identified educational support as critical to their progress, yet many barriers…
