1. [Community and Location] [Date and Time]
Guide Training
[Community and Location]
[Date and Time]

2. Youth Counts: What are they and why do them?
A one-day census to determine how many young people ages are homeless or unstably housed
Improves advocacy efforts for more services and funding
Helps ensure services match the needs and location of young people

3. Why is your help important?
Youth have a unique and valuable perspective
Youth often understand other youth better than adults do
Youth may feel more comfortable talking to other youth

4. What will you be doing as a Guide?
Work in teams of 3-4 (2-3 Guides and 1 Team Leader)
Go into assigned areas to count (Stage 1) and survey (Stage 2) other youth who may be homeless or unstably housed
Be paid $10/hour for your time (including this training)

5. What will the Team Leader do?
Provide you a map and a list of hot spots
Go with you to the area in which hot spots are located
Remain in the area to:
Answer your questions
Collect completed tally sheets and surveys from you
Hold on to extra supplies
Ensure your safety
Respond to crisis situations
Survey youth who would prefer to talk to the Team Leader
Inform the Team Leader before going anywhere not on the list

6. Count Area
Outdoor locations, including street intersections, parks, etc.
Indoor locations, including libraries, coffee shops, etc.
Your map will include location bubbles and a list of hot spots that have been identified as places where homeless or unstably housed youth may be found.
Stay within the boundaries drawn on your map. This helps us to avoid counting youth more than once.
If you cannot count in a certain area due to safety concerns or access issues, do not enter the area. Alert your Team Leader, and mark the area on your map.

7. What will you be carrying?
Clipboard and pencil
Tally sheets
Surveys with consent script
Envelopes to store and seal completed surveys
Gift cards
ID badge
Resource list

8. Stage 1: Who will you count and how will you count them?
Guide(s) will use a tally sheet to record information about any youth at the hot spot who appear to be both:
homeless or unstably housed
AND between the ages of 13-25
Practice: Use the example tally sheet to record information about the person sitting next to you

9. Stage 2: Who will you survey and how?
After counting all of the youth in an area, you will approach the youth who were counted and ask them to complete the survey
If any youth who were counted leave the area or go into a building, do not attempt to follow them

10. Stage 2: What will you be asking about?
Birth date and initials
Current living situation
Characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation)
History of foster care or detention/jail
If currently pregnant or parenting
Current school enrollment and employment

11. Stage 2: What do youth get for taking the survey?
Each youth who takes the survey will receive a $5 gift card
Youth receive a gift card as long as they answer the first 5 questions
Each youth can receive only ONE gift card

12. Stage 2: What will the process look like?
Screen to determine whether to approach the youth
Do not approach a youth who is sleeping or cannot be seen (e.g., inside a tent)
Read the consent statement on the top of survey and obtain verbal consent
If a youth refuses: Check the refusal box on the survey, thank them, and move on to the next person. Do not give the youth a gift card.
If a youth agrees: Move to step 3.

13. Stage 2: What will the process look like?
Read the questions aloud in English or Spanish if the youth agrees to take the survey
Skip any questions youth do not want to answer
Repeat each question only once
Thank the youth
When finished with the survey, give the youth one gift card
Return completed surveys to the Team Leader

14. Stage 2: What if… A youth who took the survey wants to take it again?
Youth cannot take the survey more than once
A youth walks away or stops responding in the middle of taking the survey?
Check “refused to answer” for the rest of the questions and place the survey into your envelope
A youth feels uncomfortable answering a question?
Youth can refuse to answer any question they feel uncomfortable answering.

15. Stage 2: What if… A youth does not respond to a question?
Repeat the question once and move on to the next question if the youth does not respond
A youth gets upset or emotional while taking the survey?
Ask the youth if he or she would like some help and offer him or her a resource list. Contact the Team Captain with any questions.

16. Stage 2: Practice
Screen
Read
Thank

17. Important Reminders

18. Voluntary Participation
Do not interact with youth being counted during Stage 1
Use your best judgment when filling out the tally sheet
Work with your team to decide who to count
Read the consent statement in full for each youth that you approach to take the survey during Stage 2
You must get their verbal consent (yes or si) to continue with the survey
Never pressure youth to take the survey, answer a question they do not want to answer, or finish the survey.

19. Respect Privacy
Survey youth at a safe distance from others to ensure privacy
Never talk with anyone except the Team Leader about the youth or the surveys
Talk to your Team Leader if you have questions about a survey
Place each survey in the envelope immediately after it is completed

20. Respect Privacy
Keep completed surveys safe, covered, and clean until you deliver them to your Team Leader after you survey youth in each hot spot.
Never leave them visible or unattended
Return all blank and partially completed surveys to your Team Leader
Do NOT throw any surveys away!
Inform your Team Leader right away if any survey materials are stolen or lost

21. Ensure Safety Stay together as a team when doing the Youth Count
Survey youth in safe, public places only
Immediately walk back to your Team Leader if you begin to feel unsafe
If a youth is taking a survey, end the survey, thank the youth, and hand the youth a gift card
Immediately inform your Team Leader if you are concerned about the safety of a youth you are counting or surveying

22. Questions?