During the past year, Time Out Youth Center’s Board and staff identified the documentation of LGBTQ homeless youth in the Carolinas as a crucial need, and conducted a study to research and quantify the needs and interests of this vulnerable population. They conducted formal surveys with homeless youth, homeless service providers and held focus groups with stakeholders mid-2015.The Center is proud to share this important report with the community. Until now, documentation of LGBTQ homeless youth in the Carolinas has been limited to anecdotal evidence of what is generally known to be a growing problem, and only a few other formal surveys have been done on homeless LGBTQ youth.

The Center’s mission is to support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning youth ages 11-20 by offering vital programs, fostering unconditional acceptance, and creating safe spaces for self-expression through leadership, community support and advocacy. In 2015, Time Out Youth Center had over 2,300 sign-ins for use of the after school drop in space, and all in all, Time Out Youth reached more than 5,000 individuals throughout the year. 

Due to increased calls requesting housing and access to emergency financial assistance, the Center’s Host Home Program has worked to meet the increased demands of youth by doubling the numbers of Host Homes in an effort to fill the gap in present resources. Despite this progress and increasingly positive portrayals of LGBTQ people, a significant population of LGBTQ youth continues to struggle with discrimination, transphobia, homophobia, violence and suicide. The rates of homelessness among LGBTQ youth, particularly LGBTQ youth of color, continue to rise. The Center undertook an LGBTQ homeless needs assessment in order to better understand the complexities of seemingly divergent realities, as well as to study the urgent and long-term needs and experiences of LGBTQ youth. The assessment included a survey of local LGBTQ homeless youth and housing organizations, as well as information gleaned from focus groups of LGBTQ youth who have experienced homelessness and professionals from housing organizations in the Charlotte area.

Highlights of the LGBTQ Homeless Youth of the Carolinas Needs Assessment include:

• An overview of youth homelessness (some studies have found that LGBTQ youth account for between 20 percent and 40 percent of the homeless youth population; that number is thought to be conservative based on some of the other estimates which reveal the percentage to be closer to and perhaps higher than 40 percent in large urban areas)
• Research methods and survey findings (service providers identified several gaps in services directly affecting LGBTQ homeless youth, including a lack of resources or availability in case management services, early intervention, education/life skills programs, mentorship program, mental health services, drop-in services and specialized services for those affected by domestic violence, drug addiction, sex work and criminal records).
• Reasons for homelessness (survey respondents who said they had stayed in a shelter were asked what caused them to become homeless. LGBTQ youth largely are not leaving their homes by choice. In 70 percent of cases, youth were evicted. Of those youth evicted, all were racial minorities and two were transgender females. Other reasons included feeling unsafe at home because of sexual orientation or abuse in the home).

For more information, find further highlights on the Time Out Youth website and access the Housing Needs Assessment above.