Program areas at CHW
Transitional living program - rights of passage "rop." - Covenant House's transitional living programs, often referred to as "rights of passage or rop, are where young men and women take their boldest steps toward independence. Youth live in rop for up to 18-24 months, where they tap their potential and plan for the future. Here they build basic life skills and financial literacy, participate in educational and vocational programs, seek employment with long-term advancement and career prospects, and work toward moving into their own safe and stable housing. Our staff support each young person on their journey toward sustainable independence and a hope-filled future.
Outreach -of the thousands of young people who find safety and sanctuary at Covenant House, our research indicates that approximately one in five are survivors of human trafficking. Young people experiencing homelessness are vulnerable to traffickers, who prey on their need for love, support, a safe place to sleep, and food to create a trauma bond with them. Covenant House has pioneered intake screening tools to quickly reveal a history of trafficking that young people, otherwise, may find difficult to name. We meet trafficking survivors' immediate needs for nutritious food, clothing, shelter, safety, and medical care. And we recognize their unique needs for extra levels of protection, including including safe spaces at all our sites, as well as for rigorous mental health care to help them sort through their experiences and reclaim their potential. Covenant House advocates at the local, state, and national levels for trafficking survivors, promoting legislation to protect them and their rights and bringing criminal cases against their traffickers whenever possible.
Emergency housing and crisis care -Covenant House welcomes all young people facing homelessness with unconditional love, absolute respect, and relentless support, and our shelter doors are always open, 24/7. Even during the worst public health crisis in a century, we quickly adjusted our procedures, provided for social distancing, and kept our programs going. We know young people experiencing homelessness can't wait for a crisis like this to be over. Their unmet needs for nutritious food, clothing, shelter, safety, medical care, and mental health care require immediate attention. Covenant House provides high-quality services and programs to meet those needs, stabilize a young person's situation, and help them begin to consider their longer-term goals for education, employment, and career planning. We are expertly equipped to respond to the unique needs of young survivors of human trafficking, those who identify as lgbtq, and those who are pregnant or parenting.
Public education program -young people arrive at Covenant House with dreams that have been Covenant House Washington DC disrupted by homelessness. Advancing educationally and preparing for the world of work are key to a young person's prospects for leaving homelessness behind. Either directly or through referral, we guide youth to appropriate educational and vocational opportunities, matching each young person's strengths and abilities with their career interests. We help them hone the skills they need to join the workforce, become independent, and turn their back on homelessness. Community service center -homelessness impacts young people's physical and mental well-being in many ways, and because youth are still developing cognitively, physically, psychologically, and emotionally, those impacts can have deep effects. This is even more the case for young people of color and those who identify as lgbtq, who face unique challenges associated with racism and prejudice. Covenant House welcomes all young people facing homelessness with unconditional love and absolute respect and provides them access to a range of well-being services that they can use to heal and rediscover their potential. Our trauma-informed, resilience-focused programs and services range from music lessons to counseling, religious and spiritual services, and art. In these activities, young people retake control over their lives, build on their strengths, and nourish their self-confidence.