Collaboration Over Competition: Arizona's Story at the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference

By Kelly Tanner, Youth Services Division Director, AZYP

There's something incredibly rewarding about standing in a room filled with people from across the country who are all working toward the same goal: ending youth homelessness. This year, I had the privilege of presenting at the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference alongside colleagues representing all three Arizona Continuums of Care — the Arizona Balance of State CoC, Maricopa Regional CoC, and Tucson/Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness.

For me, this presentation represented much more than sharing a project. It was an opportunity to showcase what can happen when communities choose collaboration over competition and commit to improving systems for young people.

A Statewide Approach to Systems Change

Our session focused on Arizona's Youth Homelessness Systems Improvement (YHSI) work. Rather than concentrating on individual programs, we shared how our three Continuums of Care have worked together to strengthen youth-serving systems across the state. While each community faces unique challenges, we have discovered that many of the barriers young people encounter are universal. By working together, we have been able to develop solutions that are stronger, more sustainable, and more responsive to the realities youth experience.

Throughout the presentation, we discussed the importance of youth-centered, cross-system collaboration. Housing providers, child welfare, education, behavioral health, juvenile justice, workforce partners, and youth themselves all play a role in creating pathways out of homelessness. No single organization or system can solve youth homelessness alone.

Keeping Youth Voice at the Center

One of the most meaningful aspects of our work has been ensuring that youth voices remain at the center of every conversation. Young people with lived experience have helped shape priorities, identify gaps, and influence decisions throughout this initiative. Their perspectives continue to remind us that systems should adapt to meet the needs of youth, not the other way around.

The Strength of Rural Arizona

As someone who works primarily in rural Arizona, I was especially proud to highlight the unique strengths and challenges of serving youth outside large metropolitan areas. Rural communities often operate with limited resources, vast geographic distances, and fewer specialized services, yet they consistently demonstrate creativity, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to supporting young people. Sharing these experiences on a national stage reinforced that rural communities have valuable innovations and lessons to contribute to the broader conversation.

Learning From Each Other

Perhaps my favorite part of the session was the discussion that followed. Attendees from across the country shared their own successes and challenges, asked thoughtful questions, and explored ways to apply similar approaches in their communities. Those conversations reminded me that while every state has its own systems, we all benefit when we openly share what we've learned.

One of the greatest takeaways from the conference was seeing Arizona recognized not only for the work we've accomplished, but for how we've accomplished it. Presenting together as three Continuums of Care demonstrated that statewide partnership is possible. It showed that organizations with different perspectives, service areas, and responsibilities can align around a common vision for youth.

Looking Ahead

I returned home energized and inspired, not because our work is finished, but because it affirmed that we're moving in the right direction. There is still much to accomplish, but Arizona has built a strong foundation for lasting systems change.

I'm grateful to the National Alliance to End Homelessness for providing a platform to share our story and to everyone who attended our session for engaging in meaningful conversations about improving outcomes for young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.

Most importantly, I'm grateful to the many partners across Arizona whose daily work makes this progress possible. Systems change doesn't happen because of one organization or one presentation. It happens because people across communities continue showing up, working together, and keeping young people at the center of every decision.

The conversations we started at the conference don't end there. They continue back home — in our communities, our partnerships, and our collective commitment to ensuring every young person has the opportunity to achieve safe, stable housing and a future filled with possibility.