What Is YAAB and Why Does It Exist?

Before you can decide whether YAAB is right for you, it helps to understand what it actually is — and why it was built in the first place. YAAB is not a support group, a shelter, or a job training program (though it connects you to all of those things). It is a leadership and advocacy organization rooted in the belief that the people most affected by a problem are the best people to solve it.

Youth-Led, Youth-Powered

YAAB stands for Youth Action Board, and it is exactly what the name says — a board run by young people, for young people. It is not a program where adults tell you what to do. It is a space where your experience living through housing instability becomes expertise that guides real policy decisions across Tennessee.

YAAB operates inside Tennessee’s Continuum of Care (CoC) system — the network of organizations, agencies, and government bodies that coordinate homeless services in each region. Young adults on YAAB sit at the table with those decision-makers and make sure transition-age youth (ages 17 to 25) are not an afterthought.

The Problem YAAB Is Solving

Youth homelessness in Tennessee is not a small issue. Nationally, an estimated 4.2 million young adults experience homelessness in a given year, according to the True Colors United research. Tennessee’s rural regions, including Northeast Tennessee, face unique barriers: fewer shelter beds, limited public transit, and a shortage of youth-specific housing programs.

Too often, systems designed to help young people are designed without young people. YAAB fixes that. When you join, you are not a client being served — you are a co-designer of the solutions. That shift in power is the whole point.

YAAB's Statewide Reach

YAAB chapters operate across Tennessee’s Continuum of Care regions, from Memphis and Nashville to Chattanooga, Jackson, and the Upper Cumberland. Northeast Tennessee is part of CoC Region TN-509, which covers the Tri-Cities metro area including Kingsport, Bristol, and Johnson City — plus surrounding counties in Sullivan, Washington, Carter, Unicoi, and neighboring areas. Each regional YAAB connects to the statewide network, so your local work has statewide reach.

Who the Northeast Tennessee YAAB (TN-509) Serves

YAAB TN-509 is the regional chapter serving Northeast Tennessee’s Tri-Cities area. Understanding who it serves — and who is welcome — is the first step toward deciding whether to get involved. The short answer: if you are a young adult in the region with lived experience of housing instability, there is a seat at this table for you.

The Tri-Cities Geography

The TN-509 Continuum of Care covers a broad swath of Northeast Tennessee anchored by three major cities: Kingsport (Sullivan County), Bristol (Sullivan County, straddling the Tennessee-Virginia state line), and Johnson City (Washington County). The region also includes smaller communities in Carter, Unicoi, Greene, and Hawkins counties.

This geography matters because housing resources are spread unevenly across it. A young adult in rural Carter County faces very different barriers than someone in downtown Johnson City near East Tennessee State University. YAAB TN-509 works to make sure the full region’s youth are represented — not just those in the largest city.

Who Is Eligible to Join

To join YAAB TN-509, you must meet these core criteria:

• Age: 17 to 25 years old
• Lived experience: You have personally experienced homelessness, housing instability, couch-surfing, staying in a shelter, aging out of foster care, or another form of housing insecurity
• Location: You live in or have ties to the Northeast Tennessee / TN-509 region

That’s it. There is no GPA requirement, no employment history check, no formal application essay. Your story is your credential.

Young People Aging Out of Foster Care

A significant portion of YAAB members across Tennessee have aged out of the foster care system — a transition that often happens abruptly at age 18 with little financial or housing support. In Tennessee, approximately 800 to 900 youth age out of foster care each year, and studies show that nearly 1 in 5 experience homelessness within two to four years of aging out.

If that’s your story, YAAB TN-509 is built for you. Members who have navigated the foster care-to-adulthood pipeline bring critical insight to policy conversations about extended foster care, transitional housing, and the supports that actually work.

What YAAB Members Actually Do Day to Day

One of the most common questions new members ask is: What will I actually be doing? The answer varies by region and by the current priorities of the CoC, but there are consistent activities that YAAB members across Tennessee — including TN-509 — engage in regularly. Here’s what a typical month might look like for a YAAB member in the Tri-Cities.

Advising Decision-Makers

YAAB members attend CoC meetings, city council sessions, and state-level hearings where housing policy is discussed. You review program proposals, share feedback on shelter rules, and advocate for changes that reflect what young people actually need — like flexible ID requirements, youth-only shelter spaces, and 24-hour access policies that don’t penalize people who work night shifts.

This is real advisory work. Your input shapes how federal and state housing dollars are spent in Northeast Tennessee.

Peer Outreach and Resource Connection

YAAB members often serve as trusted connectors in their communities. Because you’ve been there, a peer in crisis is more likely to open up to you than to a stranger in an office. Members help connect peers to:

• Emergency shelter and transitional housing programs
• Food banks and meal programs in Kingsport, Bristol, and Johnson City
• Employment and job training resources
• Mental health and substance use support services
• Education pathways including GED programs and community college enrollment

You are not expected to be a case manager — but you become a bridge between your community and the systems that can help.

Leadership Training and Skill Building

Joining YAAB is also an investment in yourself. Members receive training in public speaking, advocacy strategy, policy literacy, and community organizing. Many YAAB alumni across Tennessee have gone on to work in nonprofits, government agencies, and social services — using the skills they built as YAAB members as a professional foundation.

Some members have testified before the Tennessee General Assembly. Others have presented at national conferences on youth homelessness. The experience you build inside YAAB is real, résumé-worthy, and transferable.

Why Your Lived Experience Is Your Biggest Qualification

If you’ve ever felt like your past was something to hide or overcome, YAAB offers a different perspective: what you’ve lived through is exactly what makes you valuable in this work. Here’s why lived experience isn’t just accepted in YAAB — it’s the core requirement.

Systems Built Without Youth Input Fail Youth

Decades of research on homelessness interventions confirm a simple truth: programs designed without input from the people they serve tend to miss the mark. Shelter rules that feel punitive, intake processes that require documents youth don’t have, and service hours that conflict with work schedules are all examples of well-meaning systems that failed because no one asked the people most affected.

YAAB exists to close that gap. When you bring your experience to a CoC meeting in Johnson City or a policy review in Nashville, you are providing data that no survey can fully capture.

Reframing 'Lived Experience' as Expertise

Society often frames homelessness as something that happened to you — a deficit, a mark against you. YAAB flips that framing. Your experience navigating housing instability means you understand the system from the inside. You know which shelter rules are unenforceable, which referral pathways are broken, and which programs actually helped versus which ones just looked good on paper.

That knowledge is irreplaceable expertise. It is the reason YAAB exists, and it is the reason your voice carries weight in rooms where policy is made.

Compensation and Recognition

YAAB members are compensated for their time and contributions. Specifics vary by region and available funding, but the principle is consistent: your expertise has value, and you should not be expected to give it for free. This might include stipends for attending meetings, gift cards, or other forms of compensation. Ask your local YAAB coordinator about current compensation structures when you connect with TN-509.

Recognition matters too. YAAB members are acknowledged as advisors, advocates, and leaders — not as program participants or clients. That distinction shapes how you are treated and how you grow.

Housing and Homelessness in Northeast Tennessee: the Numbers

To understand why YAAB TN-509’s work matters, it helps to look at the housing landscape young adults face in Northeast Tennessee. The numbers tell a story that YAAB members live every day — and that they are actively working to change.

Point-in-Time Count Data for the Region

Each January, communities across the U.S. conduct a Point-in-Time (PIT) Count — a one-night census of people experiencing homelessness. In Northeast Tennessee, the TN-509 CoC’s PIT counts have historically undercounted youth homelessness because many young people avoid shelters and sleep in cars, on couches, or in other places that are harder to count.

This undercounting has real consequences: it affects how much federal funding the region receives for youth housing programs. YAAB members in TN-509 actively work to improve count methodology so the data better reflects reality.

Youth-Specific Housing Gaps

Across Tennessee, the gap between the number of youth experiencing homelessness and the number of youth-dedicated shelter beds is significant. Nationally, only about 1 in 10 homeless youth has access to a youth-specific shelter bed on any given night. In rural and semi-rural regions like Northeast Tennessee, that ratio can be even worse.

The lack of youth-specific options means many young adults in Kingsport, Bristol, and Johnson City end up in adult shelters — environments that can feel unsafe — or avoid shelters entirely. YAAB TN-509 advocates for more youth-dedicated housing options in the region.

Economic Factors Unique to the Tri-Cities

Northeast Tennessee has a lower median household income than the state average and a housing market that, while historically affordable, has seen rent increases of 20–35% between 2020 and 2024 in the Tri-Cities metro area — a trend driven by remote-work migration and limited new construction. For a young adult earning minimum wage ($7.25/hour in Tennessee as of 2025), affording even a modest one-bedroom apartment requires working approximately 70+ hours per week at that wage — an impossible standard.

These economic realities are the backdrop for YAAB TN-509’s advocacy work. Members push for policies that address the root causes of youth homelessness, not just its symptoms.

Step-by-Step: How to Join YAAB TN-509

Ready to take the next step? Here’s exactly how the process works for joining YAAB TN-509 in Northeast Tennessee. The process is designed to be low-barrier and welcoming — because YAAB knows that reaching out takes courage, especially if you’ve had negative experiences with institutions in the past.

Step 1 — Reach Out and Express Interest

The first step is simply letting someone know you’re interested. You can do this by visiting the YAAB TN-509 regional page to find current contact information, meeting schedules, and coordinator details for the Northeast Tennessee chapter. You can also reach out through the statewide YAAB network if you’re not sure who to contact locally.

Don’t overthink this step. You don’t need to prepare a speech or write a formal letter. A simple message saying “I’m interested in joining YAAB in the Tri-Cities” is enough to get the conversation started.

Step 2 — Attend an Orientation or First Meeting

Most YAAB chapters hold regular meetings — monthly or bi-monthly — that new members can attend to get a feel for the group before committing. These meetings are typically held in accessible community spaces in Kingsport, Bristol, or Johnson City, and some may have virtual attendance options.

At your first meeting, you’ll learn about current projects, meet other members, and get a sense of how YAAB operates. There’s no pressure to speak up immediately. Listening and observing is a completely valid way to start.

Step 3 — Complete Onboarding and Get Active

Once you decide to join, there’s a brief onboarding process that may include signing a member agreement, completing a short intake form, and learning about YAAB’s values and code of conduct. From there, you’ll be matched with current projects and committees based on your interests — whether that’s policy advocacy, peer outreach, event planning, or communications.

The pace is yours to set. Some members dive in immediately; others start slowly and build their involvement over time. Both approaches are welcome.

What You'll Gain as a YAAB Member

Joining YAAB TN-509 is not just about giving — it’s also about what you receive in return. Here’s an honest look at the tangible and intangible benefits that come with membership in Northeast Tennessee’s regional Youth Action Board.

Professional Skills That Open Doors

YAAB membership builds a specific set of skills that employers, colleges, and community organizations value highly. Members regularly develop:

• Public speaking and facilitation — running meetings, presenting to stakeholders
• Policy analysis — reading and responding to housing policy proposals
• Community organizing — mobilizing peers around shared issues
• Data literacy — understanding PIT counts, CoC funding formulas, and housing metrics
• Professional communication — writing emails, reports, and advocacy letters

These are not soft skills — they are the foundation of careers in social work, public policy, nonprofit management, and community development.

A Network of Peers and Mentors

One of the most underrated benefits of YAAB is the community you join. You’ll connect with other young adults across Northeast Tennessee — and across the state — who share your values and your drive to create change. You’ll also build relationships with CoC staff, housing providers, and community leaders who can serve as professional references and mentors.

In a region like the Tri-Cities, where social capital and who-you-know can make a real difference in accessing opportunities, these connections matter. YAAB is, among other things, a network-building experience.

A Stronger Sense of Purpose and Agency

Many YAAB members describe the experience as transformative — not just professionally, but personally. Moving from feeling like a victim of a broken system to being someone who actively works to fix it is a powerful shift. Research on youth civic engagement consistently shows that meaningful participation in advocacy improves mental health outcomes, increases sense of self-efficacy, and reduces feelings of isolation.

YAAB doesn’t promise to solve all your problems. But it does offer something rare: a space where your experience is honored, your voice is amplified, and your leadership is real.

How YAAB TN-509 Connects to the Statewide Network

YAAB TN-509 doesn’t operate in isolation. It is part of a statewide network of youth-led chapters that share resources, coordinate advocacy, and amplify each other’s work. Understanding this connection helps you see how local involvement in Kingsport or Bristol translates into statewide impact.

Regional Chapters, One Statewide Voice

YAAB TN-509 is one of multiple regional chapters operating across Tennessee’s Continuum of Care system. Other chapters include TN-500 (Memphis/Shelby County), TN-501 (Nashville/Davidson), TN-502 (Knoxville/Knox), TN-503 (Chattanooga/Hamilton), TN-504 (Jackson/West TN), TN-506, and TN-507. Each chapter operates independently within its region but coordinates with the statewide YAAB network on shared advocacy priorities.

This means that work you do in Johnson City or Kingsport can influence — and be influenced by — what YAAB members in Memphis or Nashville are pushing for. Tennessee-wide housing policy affects all regions, and the statewide network amplifies every regional voice.

Statewide Advocacy Campaigns

YAAB chapters across Tennessee have collaborated on statewide advocacy campaigns addressing issues like Rapid Rehousing funding, youth shelter capacity, and extended foster care eligibility. When Northeast Tennessee youth add their voices to these campaigns, they bring a rural and Appalachian perspective that is often missing from statewide policy conversations dominated by Memphis and Nashville.

Your regional experience is not less important because you’re not in a major metro — it’s more important, because it fills a gap in the data and the dialogue.

Resources and Learning Across the Network

Being part of the statewide YAAB network means access to shared training resources, peer learning opportunities, and connections to national organizations working on youth homelessness — including True Colors United, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. Members can attend statewide convenings, participate in webinars, and access toolkits developed by and for transition-age youth.

Explore the full list of YAAB regional chapters across Tennessee to see how TN-509 fits into the bigger picture.

YAAB vs. Other Youth Programs: a Side-by-Side Look

Not all youth programs are the same. Here's how YAAB TN-509 compares to other common program types available to transition-age youth in Northeast Tennessee.

Resources Available to Youth in Northeast Tennessee

YAAB membership connects you to a network of resources — but even if you’re not ready to join yet, knowing what’s available in Northeast Tennessee is important. Here’s a snapshot of key resources for young adults in Kingsport, Bristol, Johnson City, and surrounding communities.

Emergency Shelter and Housing Programs

Northeast Tennessee has a limited but growing set of youth-serving housing resources. Key organizations in the Tri-Cities area include:

• Frontier Health — behavioral health and crisis services across the region
• HOPE for Homeless — outreach and shelter services in the Johnson City area
• Salvation Army locations in Kingsport and Johnson City — emergency shelter and transitional support
• TN-509 CoC-coordinated entry — the official system for accessing homeless services; YAAB members can help you navigate this process

Availability and eligibility change frequently. YAAB members stay current on what’s open and what’s changed — another reason peer connection matters.

Education and Employment Pathways

For young adults in the Tri-Cities working toward stability, education and employment are critical levers. Local resources include:

• East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in Johnson City — including programs specifically for students experiencing housing instability
• Northeast State Community College — affordable two-year pathways in Blountville
• Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) Elizabethton — hands-on career training programs
• Tennessee Career Centers — job search, résumé help, and workforce training in Kingsport and Johnson City
• GED testing sites across Sullivan and Washington counties

YAAB members can help connect peers to these pathways and advocate for policies that make them more accessible.

Mental Health and Wellness Support

Housing instability and mental health are deeply connected. Young adults in Northeast Tennessee can access mental health support through:

• Frontier Health’s crisis line — 24/7 support available regionally
• Cherokee Health Systems — integrated behavioral health services
• ETSU Student Wellness Center — open to enrolled students
• Tennessee’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988 from anywhere in the state

YAAB also maintains a statewide resources page with links to housing, mental health, employment, and education supports across all Tennessee regions.

How Case Managers and Service Providers Can Support YAAB

YAAB’s audience isn’t only young adults — it also includes the professionals and organizations that serve them. If you’re a case manager, CoC partner, or service provider in Northeast Tennessee, here’s how you can actively support YAAB TN-509 and strengthen youth voice in your own work.

Referring Youth to YAAB TN-509

If you work with transition-age youth in Northeast Tennessee — as a case manager, CoC partner, school counselor, or outreach worker — one of the most powerful referrals you can make is to YAAB. Young adults who are stable enough to engage in advocacy often thrive when given a meaningful role and peer community.

A good referral is warm and specific: “There’s a group of young adults like you who meet monthly and get paid to advise the people who run housing programs. Want me to connect you?” That framing — peer, paid, powerful — lands differently than “there’s a leadership program you might like.”

Partnering with YAAB on Program Design

YAAB TN-509 is available as a community partner for program review and co-design. If your organization is developing a new youth housing program, updating intake processes, or applying for CoC funding, YAAB members can provide structured feedback that strengthens your proposal and demonstrates authentic youth engagement — which funders increasingly require.

This is not a token consultation. YAAB members bring specific, actionable feedback grounded in direct experience with the systems you’re trying to improve.

Amplifying Youth Voice in CoC Processes

The HUD Continuum of Care program increasingly emphasizes lived experience participation in governance and planning. CoC leads and member organizations in TN-509 can support this requirement by actively including YAAB members in planning committees, funding review panels, and community needs assessments.

Supporting YAAB is not just the right thing to do — it strengthens your organization’s compliance posture and improves the quality of your programs. Learn more about YAAB’s advocacy work and how to partner at yaabtn.org/advocacy.

YAAB vs. Other Youth Programs: What Makes It Different

There are many programs across Northeast Tennessee and the state that serve young adults experiencing homelessness. So what makes YAAB different? Understanding the distinction helps you decide whether YAAB is the right fit — and helps service providers understand when to refer.

Leadership, Not Just Services

Most programs for young adults experiencing homelessness are service-delivery models: they provide shelter, food, case management, or job training. These services are essential — but they position young adults as recipients, not leaders. YAAB is fundamentally different because it positions you as a decision-maker and advisor, not a client.

That distinction changes the entire dynamic of participation. You’re not attending because you need something (though you may also benefit from connections YAAB provides). You’re attending because you have something valuable to contribute.

Compensation vs. Volunteerism

Many youth leadership and advisory programs ask young people to volunteer their time and expertise without compensation. YAAB’s model recognizes that this is inequitable — particularly for young adults who may be working multiple jobs, navigating housing instability, or managing other challenges. Compensating members for their time is a core YAAB value, not an afterthought.

This also signals respect: your knowledge has economic value, and YAAB treats it that way.

Ready to Lead? Your Next Move in Northeast Tennessee

You’ve read about what YAAB is, who it serves, what members do, and why lived experience is the most important qualification you can bring. Now it’s time to take action. Here’s how to move from reading to doing — in Northeast Tennessee and beyond.

Start with One Conversation

You don’t have to have everything figured out before you reach out. You don’t need to know what you want to work on, how much time you can give, or whether you’re “ready.” The only thing you need is a willingness to show up and see what YAAB TN-509 is about.

Visit the YAAB TN-509 page to find current meeting information, contact your regional coordinator, and take the first step toward turning your experience into leadership. Northeast Tennessee needs your voice at the table — and YAAB is how you get there.

Explore the Full YAAB Network

If you’ve moved around Tennessee or have connections in multiple regions, know that YAAB chapters exist across the state. Whether you’re in Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, or the Upper Cumberland, there’s a regional YAAB that wants your involvement. You can explore all chapters and learn more about the statewide mission at yaabtn.org/about-yaab.

And if you’re not quite ready to join but want to stay connected — follow YAAB on social media, check the events calendar for upcoming meetings and trainings, and know that the door is always open when you’re ready.

Your Story Is the Starting Point

Every YAAB member started exactly where you are right now — with a story, a set of experiences, and a sense that things could be better for young people in Tennessee. The members who have testified before state legislators, redesigned shelter intake processes, and built careers in housing advocacy all started with one step: they reached out.

You’ve already survived some of the hardest things a young person can face. YAAB is the space where that survival becomes strategy — where your experience becomes the foundation for something bigger than yourself. Northeast Tennessee is waiting for your leadership.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I join YAAB in Kingsport, Bristol, or Johnson City?

Visit the YAAB TN-509 regional page at yaabtn.org/local-yaabs/tn-509/ to find current contact information and meeting schedules. Reach out to the regional coordinator and express your interest — no formal application or résumé needed. Your lived experience of housing instability is the main qualification.

Do I have to be currently homeless to join YAAB?

No. You need to have lived experience of homelessness or housing instability at some point — but you do not need to be currently homeless. Many YAAB members are in stable housing when they join. What matters is that you've experienced it and want to help change the systems around it.

Is YAAB only for people in big cities like Nashville or Memphis?

Not at all. YAAB has regional chapters across Tennessee, including TN-509 which specifically serves Northeast Tennessee — Kingsport, Bristol, Johnson City, and surrounding counties. Rural and Appalachian youth voices are especially important in statewide advocacy conversations.

Will I get paid for being a YAAB member?

Yes. YAAB members are compensated for their time and expertise — because your knowledge has real value and you shouldn't be expected to give it for free. Compensation structures vary by region and available funding, so ask your TN-509 coordinator about current arrangements when you connect.

What if I aged out of foster care — is YAAB relevant to me?

Absolutely. Young adults who have aged out of foster care are a core part of YAAB's membership and mission. The transition from foster care to independent adulthood is one of the highest-risk periods for homelessness, and YAAB actively works to improve the policies and supports around that transition.

Can service providers refer young adults to YAAB TN-509?

Yes, and it's encouraged. If you're a case manager, outreach worker, or CoC partner in Northeast Tennessee, a warm referral to YAAB can be one of the most empowering next steps for a young adult who is ready to move from receiving services to shaping them. Contact the TN-509 coordinator through yaabtn.org/local-yaabs/tn-509/ to learn how to make referrals.