Street Youth Research Articles

Homelessness During the Pandemic: The Use of Arts to Mobilize Knowledge

The following is a review of three arts-based research projects developed to mobilize knowledge in understandable ways for diverse populations regarding the stories of people who are homeless. All three projects were carried out in Canada – each with a different focus. The first research project created a film – Walking Through Wonderland (2010) - that captured the daily lived experiences of many street youths, such as being unable to find places to sleep, as well as not having food, or access to health care and social services, particularly for mental health care. Additionally, the film highlighted that many youths had become homeless because of major family trauma. The second research project created a Book of Images (2018) that visually portrayed the stories regarding housing stability among young people – in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Toronto, Ontario – who had previously experienced homelessness. The third research project created an arts-based film production, Homelessness During the Pandemic (2022), with visual images and classical, almost haunting, music for the background to illustrate the experiences of homelessness during the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) in two communities of Nova Scotia –Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) and Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).

Comprehensive Nutritional Deficiencies and Health Risks in Street Youth Using Drugs

Comprehensive Nutritional Deficiencies and Health Risks in Street Youth Using Drugs

A ministry to at-risk homeless street youths in the central region of Lusaka, Zambia

The study examined the plight of homeless at-risk street youth who patronize the Lusaka Central Business District. Through observation and interaction, it was revealed that the Seventh-day Adventist Church is not providing an adequate and holistic ministry to the street youth people group. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a viable intervention and ministry model that seeks to account for both the physical and spiritual needs of street youth. This model is here dubbed the PSR2D model consisting of meeting physical needs, equipping with skills, reform and rehabilitation, and most importantly, discipleship as a way of reaching the street youth. To adequately and meaningfully minister to at-risk street youths, the researcher used the qualitative method to approach the research process. After examining the problem through data derived from focus groups and observations, the researcher designed and implemented a multi-faceted ministry to reach at-risk street youth and thereby create an entering wedge for discipleship. The program started in December 2023 and was completed in March 2024.

Latino gangs in Spain: from the Latin Kings & Queens to the Dominican don’t play

ABSTRACT In October 2003, a young Colombian was murdered after he left the high school where he was studying in Barcelona after an alleged confrontation between two gangs composed of young people of Latin American origin – the Ñetas and the Latin Kings & Queens. This led to a wave of moral panic over the presence in Spain of the so-called ‘bandas latinas’ (Latino gangs). Eighteen years later, in February 2021, two further murders in Madrid linked to clashes between two other gangs – Dominican Don't Play and Trinitarios – generated alarm and led to a campaign with important media, political, legal, and criminal repercussions. This text offers a review of two decades of the presence of street youth organisations of Latin American origin in Spain, presenting the first results of the TRANSGANG project, focusing on experiences of mediation with these groups, and ends with a discussion on ‘Latino gangs’ as a symptom of ‘moral juvenicide.’

Healthy Village Development Program (Ppds) Halfway House Health Reform Agent For Marginalized Groups In Jakarta

Street children are a social problem that has hit big cities in Indonesia, especially Jakarta. The government has not fully addressed the aspects of developing literacy education for street children, considering the low literacy culture in Indonesian society. Negative impacts arise due to the lack of children's literacy skills, especially among street youth groups who are vulnerable to drug abuse and bad behavior.
 This research aims to overcome this problem through an Operational Study with three stages: problem identification, shelter program development, and shelter intervention implementation. This program involves street teenagers in Jabodetabek who are still returning home, with statistical tests such as chi-square, logistic regression, and t-test. Interventions are carried out through education, counseling services, coaching, mentoring, home visits, skills training, and waste management.
 The analysis results show a significant increase in the average score of adaptive behavior for street teenagers and family resilience related to efforts to prevent drug abuse and other bad behavior after implementing the Healthy Village Development Program (PPDS) Shelter Home for Health Reform Agents for Marginalized Groups. The success of this program can become a model for the development of other shelters by providing additional skills to street children.

Street Youth, Violence, and Hirschi’s Redefinition of Self-Control

ABSTRACT The research examines Hirschi’s redefinition of self-control and its link to violence. Utilizing a sample of 287 homeless street youth the paper explores the criminogenic impacts of three different operationalizations of self-control. It investigates the direct effects of bonding self-control, attitudinal self-control, and decisional self-control on violence and assesses the indirect relationships that bonding self-control and attitudinal self-control have with violence through their associations with decisional self-control. Results indicate all three measures of self-control contribute to the understanding of intentions to engage in violence. Further, evidence reveals that both bonding self-control and attitudinal self-control have indirect links to offending through their impact on decisional self-control. Findings are discussed and suggestions for future research offered.

“Like rubbing salt into the wound”: Lived experiences of homeless youth in Gondar City, Ethiopia

Despite growing research on homeless street children, women and elderly people in Ethiopia, there is little empirical evidence regarding the experiences of homeless street youth in the country. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological research is therefore to understand the lived experiences of street homeless youth aged between 18 and 29 years in Gondar city. Face -to- face in-depth interview was conducted with 9 purposively selected study participants. Interviews were transcribed, coded, categorized and thematized through thematic analysis strategy. Five themes emerged from the data analysis include Reasons for becoming homeless; Social marginalization; Violence and Criminalization; Psychological distress; and Means of a living. Findings of this study illustrate that homeless youth suffered from poor health, sexual violence, psychological trauma, social stigma and hostility from the public. The combined effect of these precarious situations places homeless youth at the margins of society and makes them feel helpless in their daily lives. This study implies that social workers should use and promote family- and community-based interventions to deal with the problem of homeless youths and integrate them into society. How to reference using ASWNet style: Bihonegn, A. (2023). “Like rubbing salt into the wound”: Lived experiences of homeless youth in Gondar City, Ethiopia. African Journal of Social Work, 13(5), 265-272. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v13i5.5 Visit journal website: https://ajsw.africasocialwork.net

Realising Capabilities for Street Young People in Harare, Zimbabwe: A New Approach to Social Protection

ABSTRACT Living in social contexts characterised by poverty and inequality, street young people have limited access to healthcare, water sanitation and hygiene services; exacerbating effects of ill health, infections, lack of nutrition and substance abuse that undermine their wellbeing. In Harare, Zimbabwe, they are also excluded from Social Protection Programmes (SPPs) which potentially assist other impoverished Zimbabweans, two-thirds of whom live below the poverty line (WFP 2019. Zimbabwe Annual Country Report 2019. World Food Programme). In this paper, we propose a reassessment of SPPs, in particular the Assisted Medical Treatment Order (AMTO), identifying barriers to access, and benefits for extending access to street young people . Drawing on secondary analysis of data from Growing up on the Streets, this paper re-conceptualises Ingrid Robeyns’ (2005. “The Capability Approach: A Theoretical Survey.” Journal of Human Development 6 (1): 93–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/146498805200034266) model of capabilities and applies it to the reversal of street youth exclusion and the application of government-targeted initiatives which have failed to reach those in the most vulnerable situations. In so doing, we propose an adapted model which recognises how the capabilities of street young people are enhanced when they are integrated into SPPs. This adapted model can be replicated and applied to relevant interventions for other groups of marginalised people in across contexts.

Crisis temporalities and ongoing capabilities in the lives of young people growing up on the streets of African cities: An ethnographic longitudinal perspective

AbstractUnderstanding young people's lives through a focus on their micro‐geographies has been central for exercising young people's voices through research. However, such a focus has also neglected the multiple and complex realities of growing up that ripple throughout their lives, resulting in calls for more research to go beyond capturing daily snapshots of experience. This paper acknowledges that decades of research with and for young people living on city streets has underpinned activism and challenged western child rights discourse, helping to ensure that abuses and violations of street young people's rights are confronted. Yet, much of this research draws attention to lives lived in present moments – the difficulties encountered and capabilities displayed. It does not account for the temporal fluidity of how young people's realities are future impacted by slow crises and challenging daily life experiences as they grow towards adulthood. This paper explores the crisis temporalities of young people's street lives through a youth‐led ethnographic longitudinal approach. The paper focuses on 18 youth researchers and over 200 of their peers' experiences of research over three years while living on the streets of three African cities. The paper discusses the challenges of undertaking longitudinal research alongside the temporal affordances of surviving urban informality and the compounding effects of slow crises on present and future‐oriented survival. These affordances emerge as street youth respond to daily trials, experience setbacks, crises, triumphs, and failures, yet show resilience and employ capabilities. The paper concludes by demonstrating the crucial importance of ethnographic longitudinal research for policy and practice to ensure that youth who age on the streets, and their families, are supported in accordance with social justice concerns.

Are street children juvenile migrants? Discoveries from their earning, spending and saving practices (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)

ABSTRACT In Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso, the so-called street children and youth I worked with usually preferred to describe themselves as juvenile migrants, ‘searching money’ in order to support themselves and their family and, some day, build their own future. Could they indeed be considered as participating to a form of juvenile migration? I addressed this hypothesis as an anthropologist by looking empirically at their economic practices. The analysis of the daily budget of dozens of bakoroman revealed that their desire to appear as providers for their family was not simply delusional: it materialised in routine saving practices and remittances to their family. But these practices varied significantly from one group and from one individual to another. These variations revealed that they navigated between norms of juvenile labour migration, which entailed redistribution to kin, and that of a deviant street ethos, which is based on a rugged individualism.

Penerapan Teori Planned Behavior Dalam Mempengaruhi Niat Remaja Jalanan Menjadi Peer Educator

The problem of street children is still a social problem that must be addressed today, including reproductive health issues. However, the efforts that have been made by the government are still not successful, so it needs innovation to provide reproductive health education to street children. One program that is worth trying is peer education. This study aims to determine the factors that influence the intention to become a peer educator of street youth in Semarang City. This study was a quantitative study with a cross-sectional design. The population was 150 street children under the auspices of an NGO partnering with the Department of Social Service. The sampling techniques were purposive sampling and accidental sampling. The sample was 91 respondents. The result showed that 49% of street youth that has the intention to be peer educator was influenced by attitude (p-value = 0,000), subjective norm consisting of parents (p-value = 0,005), friend (p-value = 0,021), NGO companion (p-value = 0,001), perceived control behavior (p-value = 0,000). It is hoped that government, especially the Department of Social Service and NGOs can provide and facilitate a supportive environment for the street youth to have the opportunity to improve their quality of life through peer educators by fulfilling basic needs first before preparing for further matters.

The ‘Normalization’ of Young Protestors in Greece

During the last decades, the number of demonstrations as well as of demonstrators has significantly increased in most Western European countries. Some scholars support that protesting has become so widespread leading to the ‘normalization’ of the demonstrators. Overall research examining the ‘normalization thesis’ of street youth protest by analyzing representative datasets is extremely scarce. The chapter by analyzing youth-over-sampled survey data collected as part of the EURYKA project examines key socioeconomic determinants in participating in demonstrations among Greek young adults aged 18-34 years old. Greece is an exceptionally interesting case study to examine the ‘normalization thesis’ of youth protesting as the recent recession and its severe socioeconomic impacts triggered an exceptional wave of protest mobilization where Greek youth was one of the main protest claimants. The findings indicate that the socioeconomic determinants under study, such as gender, educational attainment, income, and occupational class, do not play a significant role in predicting youth demonstrating in Greece. Such preliminary evidence provides empirical support to the ‘normalization thesis’ and accords with related studies underscoring that during the massive anti-austerity protests Greek citizens from a broad range of social strata were mobilized in protest activities.

Prevalence and correlates of methamphetamine use in transitional age youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability in San Francisco, CA.

Substance use, including methamphetamine use, is a contributing factor in HIV acquisition and treatment. Stimulant use is linked to mental health yet there is limited data from youth in community-based settings. One hundred marginally housed or homeless transitional age youth (TAY) were recruited at Larkin Street Youth Services and completed a survey on mental health and substance use. We conducted secondary data analysis using multivariable logistic regression models to identify the correlates of methamphetamine use among TAY. The participants' mean age was 22. Of those who reported methamphetamine use in the past 3 months, 64% were Gay, Bisexual, or Pansexual. Factors independently associated with methamphetamine use were; living with HIV (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]=3.18, 95% CI=1.11-9.15), depressive symptoms (aOR=6.02, 95% CI=1.46-24.78), symptoms of PTSD (aOR=13.38, 95% CI=1.59-112.73), polysubstance use in the past 3 months (aOR=50.02, 95% CI=9.72-257.46) and a history of injection drug use (aOR=8.38, 95% CI=1.87-37.53). Results from this study suggest a need to develop, adapt, and rapidly implement comprehensive interventions that address the combined epidemics of substance use, HIV, and mental health among TAY. This article examines factors associated with methamphetamine use among transitional age youth (TAY) experiencing homelessness or housing instability. Several factors were associated with use, including depression, PTSD, HIV status, polysubstance use, and injection drug use. These findings highlight the need for nurses to assess for methamphetamine use among youth as well as associated mental health and physical health problems. Nurses should link TAY who are using methamphetamine to evidence-based treatment programs to address substance use and comorbid conditions.

The relationship between childhood adversity and problem behavior of new street corner youth on campus: A moderate mediation model.

To explore the impact mechanism of childhood adversity on problem behaviors of new street corner youth on campus, we surveyed 637 new street corner youth on campus and completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, the Childhood Environment Scale, the Life History Strategies Scale, and the Dark Triad Scale. After controlling for gender and age of new street corner youth on campus, results revealed that childhood adversity was significantly and positively associated with problem behaviors. Mediation analysis showed that life history strategy mediated the association between childhood adversity and problem behaviors. Moreover, moderated mediation analysis further indicated that dark triad moderated the association between childhood adversity and life history strategy, as well as the association between life history strategy and problem behaviors. These findings suggest that interventions of life history strategy and dark triad may be effective means to affect problem behaviors of new street corner youth on campus.

Effective Communication The Foundation of Family Resilience Towards Healthy Adolescent

Family resilience can be used as a guide in efforts to prevent, overcome, and strengthen families who are vulnerable to crises, so that they become a resource to overcome problems, one of which is adolescent health problems. One of the domains of family resilience, namely effective communication patterns between families and adolescents will affect the formation of healthy behavior Quasi-experimental quantitative research pre-post test with control group, respondents are families who have street teenagers who are still returning home (children on the street) in Greater Jakarta and Yogyakarta. The statistical test used was t-test to determine the average score of adolescent healthy behavior after the family implemented the family resilience model. The family resilience model is equipped with a pocket book of tips to increase family resilience. The form of research intervention that was given during 8 meetings contained group education, counseling services, coaching, mentoring, and home visits. The results of the analysis prove that there is a very significant increase in the average score of street youth healthy behavior in families who apply the family resilience model. The successful application of this model is expected to be one of the models of public health nursing services to accelerate the transformation of health pillar 1, namely primary care through promotive and preventive efforts.
 Keywords: Family resilience, communication patterns, healthy behavior

Marketized mentality and instrumental offending: the overlooked roles of noneconomic institutions and relative deprivation in individual level institutional anomie theory

ABSTRACT This research examines the individual level extension to institutional anomie theory and explores the link between a marketized mentality and instrumental offending. Further, it investigates the direct roles that family, school and relative deprivation play in offending and probes their possible moderating impact on the relationship between a marketized mentality and illegal activities. Utilizing a street youth sample, the findings reveal that a marketized mentality in and of itself does not have a direct link to instrumental offending. Instead, the association between marketized mentality and offending emerges under conditions where individuals experience low family social control and high levels of relative deprivation. Relative deprivation, criminal peers, moral filters, prior offending, and low self-control also contribute directly to an increased probability of instrumental offending, while under certain conditions school social control decreases these probabilities. Findings are discussed, theoretical implications are outlined, and avenues for future research offered.

Street youths: reproductive health risk status, reproductive health challenges and barriers to health services utilization in a southwestern City, Nigeria.

According to the United Nations, about 150 million youth spent most of their time on the street, or better still, homeless. This is becoming a global phenomenon and majority of this vulnerable people live in large cities and urban areas of developing countries. Street youths are among the high risk, insecure and vulnerable groups who are often exposedto various forms of abuses and diseases, including reproductive health issues. A descriptive cross sectional study carried out among street youths in Ikorodu Local Government, Lagos State using a multi staged sampling technique. Frequency tables were drawn at the univariate level, chi squared was used to test for association between socio-demographic characteristics and sexual risk level. Data was analyzed using SPPSS version 22, p value was set at 0.05. Almost half 48(48.5%) of the respondents were between the age range 20-24years and two third 61(61.6%) of them were female and 27(27.3%) had up to senior secondary education attainments. Majority 73(73.7%) of them have been on the street for more than 3months and 32 (32.3%) professed that the reason they were on the street was to search for job while 25 (25.3%) because of family disharmony among parents. Eighty six (86.9%) of the respondents were sexually active, 31 (36.0%) of which have more than four sexual partners. Duration of stay on the street and their educational status were determinants of risky sexual behavior and polygamous setting was found to be statistically significant(p value =0.035) with reproductive health challenges. There is high risk sexual practice among street youths in Ikorodu Local Government. Strategic interventions aimed at minimizing sexual risky behaviors among street youths should focus on reducing the duration of stay on the street as well as increasing access to contraception.

Street efficacy, daily activities and youth perceptions of neighborhood safety

ABSTRACT The central objective of the present study is to contextualize youths’ perception of neighborhood safety from a youth-centered perspective of native born and immigrant youth living in a police-defined ‘hot spot’ neighborhood in Boston, U.S.A. Using the concept of street efficacy and lifestyles-routine activities theories, focus groups were conducted with teens, and photovoice was used to elaborate on perceptions. Youth described neighborhood offenders, capable guardians, and steps they took to reduce themselves as targets, consistent with lifestyles-routine activities theories. Results showed that although youth were aware of violence and victimization in their neighborhood, they displayed high street efficacy, or confidence, in the way they discussed their daily routines and navigated their lives. Youth generally felt they had the power to stay safe, but there were cultural dimensions to safety. Youth also described a nuanced relationship with police depending on situational context as well as personal and vicarious experiences. Study findings point to the need to address system-level barriers to safety, improve relationships among residents, youth, and police and to further investigate the cultural dimensions of youth perceptions of neighborhood safety.

Creating Insecurity Through Youth Street Groups and Applying Security for Control and Governance. A Case Study of Barcelona Latin Kings

This paper is based on an ethnographic study of the arrests and the subsequent trial and sentencing of a group of Latin Kings and Queens from Barcelona between 2015 and 2020. We analyze the actions carried out by the police, judicial institutions and media to reestablish the “hard handed” discourse in relation to these youth street groups in a time of crisis and precariousness. The concept of a “space of youth street groups” is used to construct a tool for mapping the agents who interact with these groups and the position they occupy in the social space. The interactions between these agents in Barcelona configure a new form of security governance through the creation of subjective insecurity and the promotion of punitive policies against youth street groups.

Rural-Urban Migration, Childbearing Decision-Making, Fertility and Contraceptive Perspectives of Street Adolescents and Youth in Kampala, Uganda.

IntroductionThis paper aims to describe and assess social demographic factors associated with childbearing decision-making, fertility and contraceptive intentions among street adolescents and youth in Kampala, Uganda while considering rural-urban migration as an explanatory factor.Materials and MethodsA cross-sectional survey of 513 adolescents and youth aged 12–24 years self-identifying as street adolescents and youth were interviewed with a structured questionnaire in 2019. Street adolescents and youth who migrated from other rural districts to Kampala were compared with those from the city. Logistic regression was performed to assess associations between the independent factors and personal childbearing decision-making, fertility and contraceptive intentions.ResultsOverall, 80.31% of the street adolescents and youth had a rural-urban migration experience. Fifty six percent (56.32%) of the street adolescents and youth made personal childbearing decisions, 94.15% expressed intentions to have children in the future and 42.88% expressed intentions to use contraceptives in the future. Intentions to use contraceptives were significantly higher among males (58.75%) than females (20.00%), and higher among migrants (65.91%) compared to non-migrants (34.09%). Contraceptive intentions were positively associated with self-perceived permanent residential status (aOR = 10.26, 2.70–39.08), intra-urban mobility (aOR = 4.99, 95%CI 1.50–6.59) and intentions to migrate to other towns within the country (aOR = 5.33, 95%CI 1.59–17.80). Being married (aOR = 0.13, 95%CI 0.02–0.85), a large shelter population size (aOR = 0.13, 95%CI 0.03–0.63) and having repeat migrations between the city and home district (aOR = 0.23, 95%CI 0.05–0.94), including migration-associated challenges reduced the odds of street youth's personal childbearing decision-making, while belonging to a social support group increased the odds of childbearing decision-making. We found no significant association between social demographic characteristics and fertility intentions.DiscussionFactors that influenced personal childbearing decision-making and contraceptive intentions among street adolescents and youth in Kampala operate mainly at the interpersonal and community levels, with marital status, shelter population size, rural-urban migration and its associated challenges associated with childbearing decision-making. Interventions to promote childbearing decision-making and contraceptive use among street adolescents and youth should take into consideration their migration and intra-urban mobility patterns.