Developing and Evaluating Marsha and Marians Neighbors: A Shared Housing Program Model for LGBTQ+ Youth, Pregnant/Parenting Youth and Youth at the Intersection

Background and Purpose: While research on the causes and consequences of homelessness among youth has increased, there is still a dearth of research-informed program and intervention models to serve this population. This is particularly true for populations that are over-represented among youth experiencing homelessness and face added barriers to getting and maintaining stable housing. Young people of color and LGBTQ+ youth are disproportionately represented among youth experiencing homelessness. Yet housing programs rarely address the intersectional nature of marginalization and resulting needs. The aim of this presentation is to describe the implementation and evaluation design of a shared housing program model that was developed to serve youth experiencing homelessness ages 18-24 who are LGBTQ+ and/or pregnant/parenting in an urban, mid-sized city located in the mid-Atlantic United States. The intervention is built around guiding philosophies of positive youth development, housing first and restorative justice. The program model is youth-centered - adapting to address the stated needs and interests of the youth being served.

Methods: Marsha and Marian’s Neighbors housing program implementation and evaluation design was based on principles of community based participatory research. We engaged in a year-long planning process with an advisory group from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2022. The advisory group was a partnership between a university social work program, seven young leaders with lived experience expertise, and members from four partner organizations including local organizations serving LGBTQ+ youth. Implementation of the model began in December 2022, including the design of a pre/mid/post survey and interview guide to assess the process and intended outcomes. Academic researchers, direct service providers, and lived experience experts contributed to the program evaluation design in a collaborative feedback process. Adaptations to the design were incorporated at each time point to reflect the experiences of participants, including additional measures and outcomes, and the youth-centered nature of the program model.

Results: The implementation and evaluation of Marsha and Marian’s Neighbors provides important lessons learned about the opportunities and challenges of developing research-informed program and intervention models for youth experiencing homelessness. Collaborative design created opportunities to re-think measurement, adapt the process to address trauma, and incorporate identity-based experiences that were unexpected. Challenges arose around data collection time points and staff turnover within partner organizations. The resulting evaluation design is one that draws on both qualitative and quantitative data, reflects multiple perspectives, and seeks to assess outcomes that are not rooted in ableist and white supremacist notions, such as self-sufficiency.

Conclusions and Implications: The development, implementation and evaluation of program models and interventions intended to meet the needs of youth experiencing homelessness while also navigating barriers associated with LGBTQ+ identities and/or parenting require partnership, flexibility and adaptation to the community context. The lessons learned through the design of Marsha and Marian’s Neighbors youth shared housing program about how best to contribute to this area of research has important implications for scholars and social workers seeking to fill the gap in knowledge and successfully support the effort to end youth homelessness.