Table 1.

Open-ended questions and probes utilized in focus groups with homeless youth

During your time on the street, which services have you used? Can you tell me how you located these services? Which services have you used the most? Which services were helpful? What characteristics of staff are most helpful? What characteristics of the organization are most helpful? What services were the most helpful? Which services were not helpful? What characteristics of staff are most unhelpful? What characteristics of the organization are most unhelpful? What services were the most unhelpful? What are your greatest strengths that help you cope with street life? What would you say are your own, internal strengths? What strengths come from outside yourself, like family, friends, other street youth? If you had a camera in the room and you could talk to funders of services you use, what would you say to them? Are there other experiences of your life on the street or your own history that you would like to tell use about?