Prince (left) and Maddy interact with youth at Monroe Park in Eugene during their daily outreach efforts.
For New Roads runaway and homeless youth program outreach workers, challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic have been wide reaching but the team perseveres working hard to find at-risk youth and engage them about New Roads resources.
On Friday, May 15th we joined two members of the outreach team on an outing and asked them questions about their process as well as how the pandemic has changed their approach in the field. We shot a Facebook Live video, although the audio was a challenge given the masks and the street traffic around the team as we walked.
Prince and Maddy discussed their daily routine on outreach, which still consists of packing up two backpacks full of resources to hand out to youth in our age range (16-21 primarily) during their 2-hour route. Items in the pack include snacks, water, socks, hygiene items and information about New Roads services.
Maddy and Prince walk around under the Washington-Jefferson Street Bridge inquiring with individuals utilizing tents if they need anything from New Roads or if they know of any youth staying in that area.
“The main goal is to engage the youth and get them to come in to New Roads,” explained Prince. “Sometimes it takes a few encounters with youth on outreach before they trust us and realize we are providing good services. Other times, it just takes one chat - it depends on their individual situation, of course, and their level of need.”
Another goal the outreach team has when interacting with youth on the streets is to learn where they have been sleeping and asking these youth if they can tell us where other youth have been sleeping or hanging out so we can attempt to find others.
“The responses vary, but often they say they’ve been camping or staying with a friend, “ Maddy explained. “Our conversations when on outreach usually begin with ‘need anything from New Roads today?’ And if they are unfamiliar with what New Roads is, that’s a good chance for us to inform them.”
When walking around on outreach, it can be difficult to determine a person’s situation. “We don’t judge a book by it’s cover,” says Prince. “We just approach anyone who looks like they are in our age range and ask them if they need anything or know anyone who does.”
Among other precautions during the pandemic, the outreach team wears face coverings and gloves and does their best to maintain a 6-foot distance from those they engage and provide resources to.
When asked what the most satisfying part of their jobs are, Maddy and Prince agree it’s rewarding to be able to offer help to at-risk young folks who often haven’t had good interactions with other adults.
For more information on New Roads services call 541-686-4310. To donate and support the outreach team in their efforts to combat youth homelessness, utilize our online donation form.
Prince and Maddy explore the areas of nearby campsites in the 5th and Jefferson area where they’ve been told youth have been camping.