What is a Youth Action Board (YAB)?
A Youth Action Board (YAB) is made up of youth and young adults who have experienced or are experiencing homelessness. This group provides leadership and guidance in partnership with adults and directors who lead services in the community to end youth and young adult homelessness in Lancaster County.
Educating the community in things like harm reduction, youth homelessness, and living in survival mode whilst managing a disability. The youth participate in events like Lititz and Lancaster PRIDE and have the opportunity to show off their creative side by selling art.
The Lancaster YAB members speak on panels and in other spaces while advocating for foster, runaway, and homeless youth resources. We work with organizations like NN4Y and Valley Youth House to apply for grants for local resources that benefit Lancaster County as a whole.
We work with organizations that share a similar mission to create lasting change in our communities.
“Helping the youth and young adults of Lancaster County live their best lives no matter where they rest their heads.”
Luna, Media and Marketing Co-Director
Mission
Our mission is bold yet simple: End youth and young adult homelessness. We achieve this through active listening, advocating, and engaging. Our approach is simple – echoing the voices of the unheard in the corridors of Lancaster county. As well as, enlightening the community through thought-provoking workshops and creating art that doesn’t just capture attention but educates.
Vision
Looking ahead, YAB is not just about addressing the present; it’s about reshaping the future. We dream of a world where youth homelessness is not just alleviated but eradicated, where the stigma attached to homelessness is replaced with empathy and understanding. Our long-term goals are clear – better services, affordable housing, a deeper understanding, and a society where every young person has a stable, successful life.
“The system isn’t broken it’s working as intended”