We heard from STAY youth and STAY case managers by hosting a youth retreat and conducting interviews (we prioritize custom engagement that works for participants). Through that input, STAY youth and STAY case managers told us about the importance of strong relationships between youth and their case managers. It’s valuable to youth when STAY case managers have a consistent presence in their lives and give compassionate emotional support.
Youth feel like they can trust their case managers when their case managers treat them with respect. This looks like:
- Modeling emotional maturity/compassion. When STAY case managers model emotion regulation, it provides two benefits. It teaches STAY youth important skills like how to regulate their own emotions. It also shows youth that they can trust adults to be compassionate and mature when they share about their life.
- Being honest. STAY case managers build trust by being honest with youth. This looks like telling the truth about youths’ situations and the impact of their choices. This may be the most important quality according to youth and case managers.
- Spending quality time together. Youth like spending time with case managers that isn’t focused on solving problems.
“We have our STAY staff who is dedicated to our younger youth (14-16), and she takes them out to experience and be kids at social activities. They have so many people in their lives pushing them to do certain things, and she just allows them to be kids. That’s really the most essential parts of the beginning is to take them to art museums, community events, that really creates that fundamental connection that allows them later when they’re in the stages of looking for housing, they already have that rapport.” – STAY case manager
One STAY youth said, “I trust adults to support me when they’re emotionally mature. They’ve shown through their actions that they can be trusted. They just want what is best for me, and that is very apparent in how they act. They’re overall just sincere and don’t sugarcoat things, being up-front with me if I need to change or work on something.”
When STAY case managers work to develop trust with youth, youth feel supported in their transition to adulthood.
