Guest Opinion Essay Archives | Page 18 of 78

foster care: Waist up shot of African American woman raises arms to show her muscles feels confident in victory, looks strong and independent, smiles positively at camera, stands against gray background.

College Students With Homelessness, Foster Care Backgrounds Need Help Building Network

Earlier this year we wrote a column in Youth Today about the barriers faced by college students who had experienced homelessness or...

Philadelphia: Sad and lonely teenager portrait in the city street

2.0K

Gun Violence in Philadelphia: One Young Person’s Perspective

As sometimes happens in places plagued by economic hardship, gun violence is also a perennial problem in Philadelphia. In 2017, there were...

epidemic: Network of connected people icons

3.6K

Time to Treat Epidemic Violence As a Contagious Disease

Violence is the only major health epidemic not currently managed by health and public health methods. As a result, many areas throughout...

gun safety: Male teen with hands on head holding handgun

3.4K

Gun Safety Can, Should Be Everyone’s Personal Mission

“We have tens of thousands of kids who will never grow up to be who they were meant to be. You have...

foster care: Young friends preparing food together

3.8K

College Campus Support Programs Are Strong Model of Services Helping Foster Youth

Most research shows that obtaining a college degree will lead to higher lifetime earnings than possessing only a high school diploma. However,...

post-secondary education: Male student of color on computer being helped by white adult.

5.7K

How to Prepare Foster Care Adolescents for Post-Secondary Education

Access to post-secondary education is a common goal for many adolescents. Appropriate assistance from a knowledgeable adult is critical for successful navigation...

1.8K

Opportunity Youth Need Support to Be Next Youth Workers, Advocates

In my role of leading national youth policy conversations, something has been bothering me. These last few years, it has become a...

gun violence: Three dimensional floating red flag

2.1K

Chronic Exposure to Violence Is Public Health Risk For Nation

Gun violence touches every community, but those most affected are also disproportionately exposed to poverty, poor education standards and fewer job opportunities....

gun violence: Image of pistol with barrel tied in knot

2.3K

We Must Decide to End Gun Violence in This Generation

We have so much work to do. So many lives to be saved. How is it that in the United States of...

4-H: Small Rural Farming Town in Minnesota

2.6K

4-H Helped Me Find My Voice, Appreciate Living in Rural Community

More than ever, I’m witnessing the power of youth leading movements and using the unique power of their voice to bring attention...

3.0K

How White Service Providers Can ‘Do the Work’ With People of Color

I am neither a man nor a person of color, but this past year I’ve worked in a program for men of...

2.3K

How to More Effectively Engage Families As 21st CCLC Advocates

What is the purpose of family engagement in 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) programs? As a 21st CCLC program director,...

California: Concept of racism and integration. Portrait of happy boys smiling

1.7K

We Need to Study These Amazing Low-crime Trends in California, NY

Leaders across the United States agonize over recent mass shootings as Americans fear more to come. Perhaps we can learn from youth...

3.4K

We Must Understand Promise of Adolescent Development to Serve Youth

Nearly 25% of our population are teens and young adults in the most important developmental sprint of their lives. But rather than...

foster care: Super Hero Woman Ripping Shirt Pop Art Comic book style

3.1K

Foster Care System Needs To Get Its Heroes Straight

Here’s the first rule of heroism: Real heroes don’t go around proclaiming themselves “heroes.” Here’s the second rule: People who are truly...

Chicago: Sad-looking young man of color with hand to head, sitting on ground.

1.5K

What Would You Do If You Lived Among Shootings in Chicago?

I grew up on the South Side of Chicago. You might know it by “Chiraq,” but we all call it Englewood and...

foster care: Friends studying together at table, viewed from above.

3.9K

Researchers, Social Workers, Foster Youth in College Need to Work Together

In the past few years, the pathways and lives of adults with experience in foster care have increasingly been a prominent concern...

Homelessness: Youth sleeping in the backseat of a car.

5.2K

Federal Government Must Spend More, Do More for Homeless Youth

Resilient, talented and unique describes the 4.2 million youth and young adults who experience homelessness in our country every year. Their faces,...

Homeless: Illustration of psychologist speaking with family

5.7K

LGBTQ Youth Become Homeless for Many Reasons, Not Just Family Rejection

Policy regarding young people experiencing homelessness, youth involved in the juvenile legal system, young people of color and youth who are lesbian,...

Sad crying teenage girl and worried woman.

5.1K

Family Conflict for LGBTQ Youth Can Mean Housing Instability

Riley (all names have been changed to protect research participants’ privacy) had been living with their grandmother before moving into the emergency...