Though Empire State Coalition (ESC) is a statewide coalition, New York City has, by far, the highest incidence of youth homelessness, and therefore requires targeted efforts.

In fact, the City's first Survey of Homeless Youth, in 2007 revealed that each night…

Over 3800 youth and young adults are homeless in NYC
One thousand, six hundred of those young people spend the night outside, in an abandoned building, at a transportation site or in a car, bus, train or some other vehicle, and
One hundred and fifty children spend the night with a sex work client.

Empire State Coalition (ESC) works with other advocates and service providers in NYC to produce real change for runaway and homeless youth.

ESC’s recent accomplishments include:

• The NYC Homeless Youth Survey, published by ESC, is the first survey of it’s kind in over 20 years!
• The State of the City’s Homeless Youth Report, coordinated and published by Empire State Coalition. The 2007 report is the latest.
• The annual NYC/RHY Resource Guide is published regularly by ESC.
• Citywide Invitational Roundtables on Mental Health and Homeless Youth Needs have been organized and hosted by the staff of ESC
• Commissioner of DMV met with ESC and community representatives to discuss access to non-driver photo IDs for homeless youth, easing a common hurdle to homeless youth achieving success in the NYC job market.
• A 2007 Job Fair for NYC’s Homeless Youth and a NYC Job Search Manual were both organized and co-sponsored by ESC.
• Contributed to increasing funding and expanding resources and housing for homeless youth in NYC
• Greenwich Village Memorial, 2005: ESC co-sponsored and organized to remember homeless queer youth who were murdered on the streets of New York City.
• Homeless and Queer: a Fact Sheet developed by ESC to accompany the Greenwich Village Memorial.

New York City is a big town.

No doubt!

ESC's commitment to the well-being of NYC homeless youth led us to organize providers as The NYC Association of Homeless and Street-Involved Youth Organizations. "The Association" believes in coordinating city services and speaking with a unified voice to effectively respond to youth needs in the streets and shelters.

The Association advocates with City, State and Federal decision-makers to ensure that our youth's needs are clearly represented in the public policy dialogue.

Since 2002, The New York City Association of Homeless and Street-Involved Youth Organizations (“The Association”) provides

a forum to look at policies, best practices issues that affect providers and disenfranchised youth; a means for information sharing; and a channel for advocacy and policy reform in New York City.

For the past 15 years Empire State Coalition has provided support to professionals who serve homeless and street-involved by providing trainings through both The New York State Training Institute for Professional Youth Work (click here to for announcements of current trainings and their dates in NYC), and
The New York City Training Institute for Professional Youth Work

Empire State Coalition also provides a two-day training on Advancing Youth Development and Positive Youth Development Philosophy and Strategies for working with disenfranchised youth. The next dates for these trainings are October 22nd and 23rd, 2008.

Organizations that serve homeless youth, conduct research on or advocacy on behalf of homeless youth are invited to join Empire State Coalition of Youth and Family Services. Join Now!.