WHY YOTO

Youth homelessness is more common than you might think.

Imagine not knowing where you’re going to sleep, what you’re going to eat, or how you’re going to get by. Now, imagine you’re still in high school. Unfortunately, it’s not especially unusual for young people to find themselves on their own. In the United States, an estimated one in 10 young adults (ages 18-25) and one in 30 adolescents (ages 13-17) experience homelessness, unaccompanied by a parent or guardian. That’s 3.5 million young people every year. An estimated 2,700 youth are on their own without parental support in Pima County.

Youth homelessness looks different from adult homelessness.

Some youth experiencing homelessness live in their cars or on the street, but most are couchsurfing – staying with a friend or extended relative for a few weeks or months before moving on to the next temporary host. Often they sleep on couches or floors. Some youth are lucky to find a more stable host home, but are without the support of their parents and must meet all of their own basic needs.

Why is graduation so important, especially for youth experiencing homelessness?

A high school diploma is directly tied to a young person’s ability to support themselves and stay housed later in life. Young people experiencing homelessness are four times more likely to drop out than their housed peers; in turn, youth without a high school diploma are 346% more likely to experience homelessness in adulthood.

How did YOTO begin?

In 1986, a counselor at Amphitheater High School – Ann Young – saw that many of her students were not attending school due to circumstances beyond their control. She rallied her colleagues and friends to come together and support these young people who weren’t being given the same chance to succeed as their peers. Eventually Ann and her supporters founded Youth On Their Own (YOTO). Originally serving just a handful of students at Amphitheater High School, YOTO has grown into an organization that helps thousands of students at over 100 Pima County schools stay in school, graduate, and pursue their dreams.