Erika Cortes, our Homeless Project Coordinator, was able to attend the 2023 CA Homeless Education Conference earlier this month. She described it as a refreshing, informative, and an inspiring experience. Overall, she said they emphasized the importance of establishing support systems both within and outside of the Local Education Agency to best serve students experiencing homelessness. Here are a few key takeaways she got from the conference:
- Build relationships!
- Houselessness urges the need to work together
- Identify internal key points of contact within each district
- External resource mapping
- Outreach
- Tap into existing student groups/clubs/athletic groups to help educate students, parents, staff and the community around homelessness in education
- Simple and accessible flyers/materials
- Reconciliation during school breaks
- Emphasized the idea and importance of collaboration and establishing systems of support both within and outside of the Local Education Agency