Safe Harbor’s STRIVE Transitional Living Services provides needed supports for youth who are most at-risk to experience violence, trafficking, unemployment, homelessness, incomplete education, and poverty. Services are designed to help young people make a successful transition to self-sufficient living while providing a safe living environment.
STRIVE Transitional Living Services are made up of three interconnected programs: STRIVE Transitional Living Program (TLP), STRIVE Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF), and STRIVE Rapid Re-housing (RRH) in order to give youth the support they are lacking and a chance to accomplish their own goals.
Each program has differences in enrollment criteria and the provision of housing, but the following services are standard across STRIVE:
+ Case Management (Including advocacy, information, and referrals)
+ Daily Life Skills
+ Financial Literacy
+ Employment Support
+ Educational Support & Tutoring
+ Health & Wellness Support
+ Housing Support (advising)
+ Occasional Transportation
+ Mentoring
+ Connections to Counseling & Mental Health
STRIVE Transitional Living Program
Our STRIVE Transitional Living Program provides services to young women ages 17-22 who are intellectually disabled and in the care of the Division of Family and Children’s Services or who have become homeless. TLP assists residents for 18 months to develop skills leading to self-sufficiency and independence, while providing a safe living environment. Youth reside in our group home, Hamer House, where all basic needs are met including transportation for work, school, and health purposes. Our welcoming group home has seven beds, and provides real-life experiences in education, employment, roommate and household management, and other personal growth experiences that teens need to successfully transition to adulthood.
Our traditional TLP model operates in individual unit apartments leased by Safe Harbor just blocks from our group home. Homeless youth ages 17-22 are provided with appropriate housing for 18 months and all basic needs unless provided for through other benefits, such as food stamps, etc. Helping youth to establish themselves in the community with health care, education, and employment are key to success. Youth are required to participate in services and work toward goals they set on their individual service plan. As a preparation for discharge, the Housing Specialist assists youth to explore available housing options aligning with their permanency goals.
Application and Referral: Youth self-refer by filling out an application and submitting it. Those in the care of DFCS will also have their caseworker submit a Universal Application. Applicants are then selected for an interview with the STRIVE team.
STRIVE Promoting Safe and Stable Families
Our Promoting Safe and Stable Families services, contracted by the Division of Family and Children Services, are intended to support youth ages 17-21 in their transition out of foster care to live independently. This is a non-residential program targeting those at considerable risk of homelessness without supportive intervention. Participating youth may reside with a foster family, a group home, or any other placement type within the region or may be already living on their own.
Application and Referral: Official referrals are made by the county DFCS Caseworker assigned to the youth; however, informal recommendations can be made by any interested party.
STRIVE Rapid Re-housing
The STRIVE RRH program offers housing support in the form of advisement, short-term rental assistance, and one-time utility deposit to 18 to 24-year-old individuals (parenting or not) or families (couple with or without children – no adults may be over 24) who have been verified as homeless by HUD definition. This program services youth in both the Glynn and Camden areas. The HMIS system works to prioritize housing for the youth with the most need. All other STRIVE services are offered to RRH participants.
Application and Referral: Official referrals are made through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS). An intake can be scheduled with the Safe Harbor Outreach Team at 912-289-9741.
Tens of thousands of young people experience homelessness each year. On the streets, they face serious dangers. Young people often resort to sex work to make money for food; and many turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to deal with the trauma or abuse they have experienced at home.