Small House Inc Champions Young Adults In Boston MA
Small House's mission is to serve transition-age people ages 18-24 who are homeless, sometimes rudderless, and without the crucial support systems to which many of their peers have access to.
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Nearly 1000 young adults in Greater Boston are without needed resources to live safely. They spend their nights sleeping outdoors or couch-surfing. Most have experienced abuse or witnessed violence in their homes; or perhaps had contact with the juvenile system or aged-out of foster-care. Sometimes they've been put out by their family of origin.
In the absence of the most basic physiological necessities, we, as humans, lack the capacity to form healthy attachments, self-esteem, and build our best, most meaningful life.
Small House's mission is to serve transition-age people ages 18-24 who are homeless, sometimes rudderless, and without the crucial support systems to which many of their peers have access; in short, the deck is stacked against them. Small House understands that these kids have the potential to not only change their lives but to change the world.
Founder and Director Asjah Monroe advocates for the holistic wellbeing of her clients, confident that the first 18 years of a person's life mustn't dictate the course of the following years.
Part of Small House's philosophy is borrowed from the work of Otto Scharmer of the Presencing Institute at MIT. His life's work, Theory U, is a guide to understand, promote, and navigate the rapidly evolving personal, social, and systemic changes that we are undergoing as a society.
"Small House also employs the guiding frameworks of positive youth development and trauma-informed principles. Each framework puts the young adult in the driver's seat of the work and helps them look inward and leverage their strengths in order to move forward," says Monroe
Currently in Phase One, Small House Inc is fundraising for a pilot program and scouting potential locations for a permanent facility. The plan for Phase Two is to partner with existing community organizations that have committed to underpin Small House's mission by offering wrap-around supportive assistance to the young people they serve while Small House offers regular coaching sessions. The pilot program is expected to kick off in late Spring, 2022.
Says Monroe, "We're raising enough funds to place at least two young adults in housing, to offer a small stipend and to offer the program support for 12 months…we'll place (program participants)
Her vision includes offering a positive nurturing relationship within its Home-Style residence, as well as providing education and information, and a stable foundation for youths on their individual paths to independence and fulfilling lives. Historically, these young adults haven't had the experience of, or exposure to, someone standing by their side in times of uncertainty.
As a non-profit, Small House Inc. seeks sponsors for this fresh approach to youth empowerment. Donors are encouraged to provide financial support to enable the forward motion of this far-reaching project. Gift cards for program participants are welcome, too.
