What We Do
Doors of Change helps the homeless youth of San Diego County get immediate access to basic living supplies, general and mental healthcare, and safe housing.
What We Do
When a youth contacts Doors of Change, our case managers will pick up the phone immediately or get back to them quickly. We talk to them without any pressure or judgment. We mostly listen, and eventually we ask them if they would like us to make an assessment to determine what specific resources could help them. Then we become advocates for the youth, serving as a bridge to the social service and government resources available to address their specific needs. Once youth experience this interaction with our case managers they are more open to suggestions such as housing. Over the past 21 years, Doors of Change has helped over 2,600 homeless youth get housing.
In addition to helping homeless youth obtain safe housing we help them get IDs and birth certificates, medical insurance, vision and dental care, phones, computers, food stamps, safe parking, and showers. We also provide referrals for mental health care, domestic violence, and anger management.
We also help homeless youth get and keep jobs. We have a very successful collaboration with the Civilian Conservation Corps, helping get youth into full-time, paid trades programs.
Lastly, we mentor our youth and teach them important self-sufficiency skills and habits, while they discover the value of accountability and working hard.
Our Vision Is To Ensure That Every Young Adult In San Diego County Has The Resources And Support Necessary To Live A Healthy And Productive Life Off The Streets.
OUTREACH
Twice weekly, trained professionals and volunteers from Doors of Change™ comb the streets and beaches of San Diego, engaging with young people who appear to be homeless, or at risk of homelessness [read more] Offering water, socks, and sleeping bags provides the opportunity to engage youth in a conversation about what Doors of Change™ has to offer and encourage them to attend an upcoming class. Youth are treated with dignity and without judgment. Over 8,000 young people have interacted with the Outreach Team in the past five years. [/read]
MUSIC & ART INSTRUCTION
At Taking Music & Art to the Streets (TMATS), professional and volunteer musicians and artists provide small group instruction to youth using a variety of instruments and art supplies. [read more] These artistic pursuits become a powerful mechanism for self-expression and skill mastery, and the youth being served begin creating new visions for their futures. This music instruction is accompanied by a host of other activities and services, such as yoga, haircuts, hot meals, hygiene supplies, clothing/shoes, and much more. By working closely with the Doors of Change™ talented and compassionate team, youth develop trust in the “system” and begin to ask for, and accept, additional social services. As a way of motivating ongoing participation, youth can earn their instruments/art supplies after attending six classes. To date, over 300 have earned instruments or art supplies. For many, these become their prized possessions. Approximately 60 youth are served each week, and nearly 400 each year. [/read]
CASE MANAGEMENT
Once youth are ready to accept more support, they engage with a Doors of Change™ case manager who helps them develop individual action plans. From accessing state IDs and Medi-Cal insurance [read more] to enrolling in job training programs or primary health care, case management services are available to all Doors of Change™ participants and are designed to help youth transition from the streets to permanent housing and self-sufficiency by connecting them with the multitude of community resources available to them. Hundreds of youth each year are connected to housing, employment, medical care, and mental health and addiction treatment services. [/read]
DOORS OF CHANGE™ TRANSFORMS THE LIVES OF HOMELESS YOUTH THROUGH ITS AWARD-WINNING TAKING MUSIC & ART TO THE STREETS PROGRAM (TMATS). THIS INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE WITH THE RESOURCES NECESSARY TO GET OFF THE STREETS PERMANENTLY HAS THREE COMPONENTS:
Taking Music And Art To The Streets (Tmats) Is Offered At No Cost To Participants, And Depends On The Generosity Of Donors And Businesses Who Believe In The Importance Of This Work.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN TRANSFORMING THE LIVES OF HOMELESS YOUTH?
Changes Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic
We Have Temporarily Closed Our Taking Music & Art To The Streets (Tmats) Program. We Will Continue To Provide Outreach, Virtual Case Management, And Social Services To Our Disadvantaged And Homeless Youth. Our Social Services Include:
- SHELTER
- HOUSING
- ADDICTION TREATMENT REFERRALS
- MENTAL HEALTH REFERRALS
- SAFE PARKING
- MEDI-CAL
- FOOD STAMPS
- ID’S
- BUS PASSES
- CELL PHONES
- TRAVELER’S AID
- DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REFERRALS
Support homeless youth when they need you most.
Your unrestricted gifts enable us to provide immediate shelter, case management, and life-changing ongoing support for Homeless Youth in San Diego County.
