Youth and Allies Against Homelessness: Mixed Method Research Projects (PI: Prof. Colette (Coco) Auerswald, MD, MS, UC Berkeley School of Public Health) - YEDI Affiliated Project
Colette (Coco) Auerswald, Professor
Public Health
Open. Apprentices needed for the Fall semester. Enter your application online beginning August 22nd. The deadline to apply is Tuesday, September 2nd, 4pm.
BACKGROUND
Youth and Allies Against Homelessness (YAAH) is a research team based in i4Y (Innovations for Youth), a Berkeley School of Public Health research center. YAAH is made up of people with lived experience of homelessness or that have a deep commitment to ending youth homelessness. This includes youth community partners, undergraduate students, graduate students, post doctoral scholars, a research coordinator, and faculty lead, Coco Auerswald, MD, MS.
YAAH has the goal of addressing and ending youth homelessness in the United States. To reach this goal, we conduct research and evaluation studies with the aim of generating a body of evidence that can be used to impact the implementation of programs for youth experiencing homelessness (YEH), as well as policies related to addressing and ending youth homelessness.
We are looking for undergraduate students (second-years and above) who are interested in committing to the lab for at least one year, i.e., for Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters, and who would be potentially interested in being part of the lab for a longer period if the opportunity arises. We have three research projects that are currently accepting applications, in your interview you will have an opportunity to express interest in your top choice of project. We will provide more information on each project below.
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS
1. Evaluation of San Diego Youth Homelessness Response System
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Laura Petry, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar
Summary
This project will evaluate the youth homelessness response system in San Diego County. The evaluation aims to help strengthen systems coordination, ensure consistent access to services, and support effective interventions for all youth with lived experiences of homelessness(YEH).
Project activities include the following:
- Developing standardized, transparent compensation guidance for YEH participating in project activities
- Collect and analyze quantitative + qualitative data to find system inefficiencies, services barriers, and opportunities to improve individual/systems-level outcomes for YEH
- Creating a systems map that identifies (a) service gaps/redundancies, (b) opportunities to improve cross-sector coordination, and (c) streamline resource access for YEH
2. Internship Pilot Program with Youth Experiencing Homelessness and Toolkit Development
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Ben Parry, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar
Summary
This project is building on insights gleaned from previous internships to co-create an internship toolkit with YEH leaders. The purpose of the toolkit is to support other organizations, institutions, and community partners to collaborate with youth in sustainable and equitable ways. Our internship for YEH aims to advance their research and workplace skills, involve them as stakeholders in research decisions, and include them in dialogue with policymakers.
Project activities include the following:
- Implement and evaluate a research and professional development internship for YEH.
- Collaborate with YEH to design, develop, and disseminate an internship toolkit.
- Translate research findings into data visualization aids and applied recommendations for practitioners and community partners.
3. Population Size Estimation
Day-to-day supervisor for this project: Isaac Sederbaum, PhD, Postdoctoral Scholar
Summary
This project aims to provide an estimate of the population size and composition of YEH across 7 target communities in California, based on an innovative approach employing linked administrative datasets. Additionally, we will create and disseminate guidelines by which other local jurisdictions can feasibly apply this method. In collaboration with our target communities, our project uses the Capture-Recapture (CRC) method to improve YEH estimates.
Project activities include the following:
- Conduct literature reviews on youth homelessness and CRC
- Design and create communications materials such as infographics, briefs, and/or webinars
Role: SPECIFIC ROLE
During their time in the lab, students will:
1) learn more about youth homelessness in California and the United States and the systems that address services for youth experiencing homelessness;
2) receive training on research methods and tools, including literature reviews, interviews, focus groups, surveys, secondary data analysis, as well as training on other topics of interest to the students;
3) design & implement qualitative data collection instruments (e.g., interview guides, focus groups, and surveys);
4) conduct literature reviews, focus groups, and surveys (as needed per project); and,
5) be part of a passionate team of undergraduate and graduate students who share the goal of addressing and ending youth homelessness.
6) Please refer to the project descriptions in the section above for the specific tasks you will be trained in per project; along with other duties as they arise per project.
QUALIFICATIONS
Equity and inclusion are core values of this project. We highly encourage students from all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to apply. We are looking for undergraduate students who have expertise in EITHER quantitative, qualitative, and/or policy research and methods. We expect applicants to have experience in ONLY one of these three areas. We are also looking for a range of qualifications, but we are NOT expecting students to have experience with all of the qualifications we are listing below.
A) GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS: ESSENTIAL: 1) We are particularly interested in engaging students from marginalized backgrounds who have lived experience with homelessness OR have worked with people who have experienced homelessness OR with marginalized youth populations AND have an interest in systems-level thinking. 2) Be at least a second-year undergraduate student. 3) Interest in working in research or data analysis. 4) Ability to work effectively independently and as a team member. 5) Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and strong initiative. 6) Open to accepting, acting on, and providing feedback. 7) Able to attend mandatory, in-person weekly lab meetings on Thursdays from 11AM- 12:30PM.
Knowledge of Youth Homelessness
– Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to addressing homelessness
– Possess either lived experience of homelessness or housing instability OR direct experience working with individuals with lived experience of homelessness
– Experience with historically underrepresented subgroups of youth at-risk of homelessness, including youth who are indigenous, immigrant/newcomer, justice-involved, and/or survivors of human trafficking
– Exposure to or interest in systems-level thinking, particularly as it relates to homelessness response systems or other social service sectors
Research Skills –Note: We are also looking for a range of qualifications, but we are NOT expecting students to have experience with all of the qualifications we are listing below.
– Experience conducting literature reviews
– Familiarity with cleaning and analyzing quantitative data using statistical software (e.g., Stata, R, SPSS, Excel)
– Ability to contribute to the design and implementation of qualitative data collection instruments (e.g., focus group and interview guides)
– Experience collaborating with diverse groups in the planning and implementation of research activities (especially youth)
– Skills in creating infographics to summarize research findings
– Demonstrated commitment to the ethical engagement of marginalized communities in conducting community-based research
Communication and Teamwork
– Strong writing skills, particularly in producing research summaries and reports
– Comfortable communicating with a range of stakeholders, including youth with lived experience, service providers, and local government agency representatives
– Ability to work in a team-based environment with diverse collaborators
Organizational Skills
– Ability to manage note-taking, organize research documents, and support project logistics
– High level of attention to detail and time management
Weekly Hours: Most students commit 6-8 hrs (2 units). Students have the option of committing 8-10 hours (3 units). These hours include mandatory weekly in-person meetings (Thursdays, 11:00AM-12:30PM) & weekly project specific meetings.
YEDI
If you are selected for this research project, you will also be invited to join the Youth Equity Discovery Initiative (YEDI) Program, a research mentorship program that aims to build supportive pathways into research careers, service, and leadership addressing adolescent wellbeing. The year-long program provides weekly skill-building workshops, cascading mentorship, and professional development training to a cohort of 20-30 undergraduate scholars working on faculty-led youth equity research projects (like this one). Past scholars have benefitted from YEDI’s mentorship and professional development opportunities (including faculty and graduate student speakers). The program culminates in an end-of-year research poster symposium.
The 2025-2026 YEDI cohort will meet in BOTH fall and spring. For the Fall, the workshops will take place on Tuesdays, 2:00pm-3:30pm starting September 30th. In order to take part in the YEDI program, you MUST be able to attend the workshops at this time. As a YEDI scholar, you will sign up for a PH198 class and receive 1 unit. This is in addition to the units you receive for your URAP research project. For any questions about YEDI, please contact YEDI’s Director Marieka Schotland (mschotland@berkeley.edu) or visit our website(i4y.berkeley.edu). Participation in the YEDI Program is not required for this research project, but is strongly encouraged.
Hours: 6-8 hrs
Related website: https://sph.berkeley.edu/colette-auerswald
Related website: https://yaah.berkeley.edu/