DreamCatcher Youth Services - Approved

• DreamCatcher Youth Services (DYS) serves homeless, unstably housed, and trafficked youth between the ages of 13-18. DreamCatcher has been an enhanced shelter program in Alameda County for over 20 years. DYS includes an all-gender shelter, a female identified shelter for girls impacted by trafficking, as well as a youth drop-in center for any youth aged 13-18 years old. DYS services include shelter, case management, mental health, a free adolescent health clinic, legal help, clothing resources, bus passes, educational and work search support, and lunch and dinner served to all youth in our drop-in center. DreamCatcher Youth Services works in partnership with Covenant House to ensure all youth have a future of their choice and a safe place to continue creating their life.
• • Owner
    Anna Farooqi
  • Created On
    03-05-2019
  • Updated On
    08-09-2022
  • Update Reminder
    N/A

• How To Contact

  • Name
    Amba Johnson, Director
  • Phone
    (510) 701-3711 x
  • Fax
    N/A
  • Email
    ajohnson@covca.org
  • Address
    583 5th Street
  • City
    Oakland
  • State
    CA

• More Information

  • Start Date
    03-05-2019
  • Expiration Date
    09-05-2025
  • Eligibility
    free
  • Fee
    0.00
  • Organization
    Covenant House Caliornia
  • Zip Code
    94607

• Helpful Links

  • Main Program URL
    https://covenanthousecalifornia.org/dreamcatcher-youth-services/

• Detailed Information

  • DREAMCATCHER YOUTH SERVICES (DYS) IS LOCATED AT 583 5TH ST, OAKLAND, CA; THE YOUTH WELLNESS CENTER OPERATES FROM 12PM-7PM IN SUITE A AND THE SHELTER SPACE IS IN SUITE B. THIS ORGANIZATION SUPPORTS YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 13-18.

    -THE SHELTER ACCEPTS YOUTH 24/7, AND THE YOUTH WELLNESS CENTER IS A DROP-IN CENTER WITH A FULL MEDICAL CLINIC, SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, FOOD, SUPPORT, AND MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT.

    -THERE ARE NO ZIP CODE/COUNTY/STATE/INCOME/INSURANCE RESTRICTIONS ON WHICH YOUTH CAN RECEIVE SERVICES. DYS AIMS TO SUPPORT ALL YOUTH, REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND.

    -DYS HAS BILINGUAL (ENGLISH/SPANISH) STAFF, AND ALSO HAS TRANSLATION SERVICES AVAILABLE FOR OTHER LANGUAGES.

    -THERE IS NO APPLICATION NECESSARY TO RECEIVE SERVICES; THERE IS NO WAITLIST.

    -DYS IS OPEN TO YOUTH BETWEEN THE AGES OF 13-18 THAT ARE UNSTABLY HOUSED AND NOT AT AN IMMEDIATE RISK TO THEMSELVES OR OTHERS.

    SERVICES-IN-DETAIL:

    DREAMCATCHER SHELTER

    DREAMCATCHER’S SHORT-TERM, EMERGENCY SHELTER FEELS QUIET AND HOMELIKE. HERE, DREAMCATCHER PROVIDES FOR EACH YOUNG PERSON’S BASIC NEEDS IN A SAFE AND RELAXED ENVIRONMENT. THEY RECEIVE MEALS, TAKE SHOWERS WITH NEW HYGIENE PRODUCTS, RECEIVE NEW CLOTHES AND A WARM BED TO SLEEP IN. PROGRAMMING AND ACTIVITIES ARE YOUTH-DRIVEN AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS ACCEPTING AND LOWKEY. THIS SHELTER IS A PLACE FOR YOUTH TO REST, CATCH THEIR BREATH, AND WORK WITH STAFF TO DETERMINE THEIR NEXT STEPS.

    YOUTH WELLNESS CENTER

    DREAMCATCHER’S YOUTH WELLNESS CENTER IS OPEN DAILY AND PROVIDES YOUNG PEOPLE WITH A SAFE PLACE TO HANG OUT UNTIL THEY ARE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO THE COUCH WHERE THEY ARE STAYING. OTHERS COME TO HIDE FROM DOMESTIC FIGHTS BETWEEN THE ADULTS IN THEIR LIVES.

    YOUTH WELLNESS CENTER STAFF PROVIDE LIFE SKILLS TRAINING AND COUNSELING THROUGH INDIVIDUAL, GROUP AND FAMILY SESSIONS. WITH THE SUPPORT OF STAFF, YOUTH CREATE SAFETY PLANS AND LEARN HOW TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS TO INCREASE THEIR FEELINGS OF WELL-BEING, SECURITY AND SELF-ESTEEM. OLDER YOUTH REQUEST HELP FINDING A JOB AND FILLING OUT APPLICATIONS. ALL YOUTH RECEIVE ASSISTANCE WITH LEGAL ISSUES AND FINDING A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE.

    ALL YOUTH ARE GIVEN FREE HYGIENE PRODUCTS, BASIC CLOTHING, AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES. LAUNDRY AND SHOWER FACILIITES ARE AVAILABLE, SNACKS ARE PROVIDED AND DINNER IS SERVED DAILY THANKS TO VOLUNTEER SUPPORT.

    NIKA’S PLACE & GIRLS LOUNGE

    OVER 80% OF ALL GIRLS WHO ARE COMMERCIALLY SEXUALLY EXPLOITED AND TRAFFICKED WERE HOMELESS WHEN THE EXPLOITER FOUND THEM. NIKA’S PLACE, IS A PROGRAM DESIGNATED FOR GIRLS ESCAPING COMMERCIAL SEXUAL EXPLOITATION, AND THE GIRLS LOUNGE, IS A DROP-IN PROGRAM OFFERING SERVICES AND RESOURCES TO GIRLS ESCAPING STREET EXPLOITATION, VIOLENCE AND ABUSE. SERVICES IN BOTH PROGRAMS ARE GENDER-SPECIFIC AND GEARED TOWARD OFFERING THE EMPOWERMENT AND SUPPORT NEEDED TO BREAK FROM STREET LIFE AND DANGER AND CREATE A FUTURE.

    THE DREAM CLINIC

    THE DREAM CLINIC IS A COLLABORATION WITH THE ROOTS COMMUNITY CLINIC WHERE YOUTH CAN RECEIVE IMMEDIATE PRIMARY MEDICAL CARE WITHOUT LEAVING THE DREAMCATCHER CAMPUS. ADDITIONALLY, STAFF CAN ASSIST YOUTH AS THEY ENROLL IN PROGRAMS SUCH AS MEDI-CAL THAT WILL ENSURE THEY CAN RECEIVE CARE WHEREVER THEY MAY BE IN CALIFORNIA.

• Eligibility Information

  • States
    • CA
  • Counties
    • Alameda County
  • Cities
  • Zipcodes
  • School Districts
  • Age Groups
    • Teen
    • High Schooler
  • Languages Served
    • English
    • Spanish
  • Family Incomes
  • Insurance Providers

• Files