Youth help people who have no permanent place to sleep as they raise awareness.

As the temperature began to fall into the 40s on Friday night, 18 young people from Olathe and throughout the area began preparing cardboard boxes to sleep in outside Roeland Park City Hall.

They weren’t homeless, but they wanted to get an idea of the challenges that about 2,000 12- to 20-year-old homeless people in the metro area face every day.

The exercise, part of Synergy Services’ “One Homeless Night” project, simulated a soup kitchen, a shelter, a rehab center and other things people who don’t have permanent addresses have to navigate. Hundreds of youth joined similar events on both sides of the state line, including those who bedded down outside the Youth Volunteer Corps office at Roeland Park City Hall.

“Most of these kids didn’t know each other before tonight,” said Lacey Bitter, assistant program director at the Roeland Park Youth Volunteer Corps. “They come from all different backgrounds, and we’re hoping they each find something to take away from this experience.”

Upon arrival, the youth volunteers were greeted by team leaders who provided them with mock life scenarios including various genders, ages, ethnicities and backgrounds to emphasize that homelessness does not discriminate. With their new identities intact and all of their possessions strapped to their backs, the volunteers embarked on their journey into the night.

“All of the [participants] stops including a free health clinic, a school, free legal advice office, food kitchen, convenience store, thrift store, a shelter, a drug/alcohol dealer, rehab center and a temporary job office,” said team leader Amanda Myer. “Each of these locations is headed by a team leader who provides real-life documents and experiences. We also incorporated bits of service and service learning.”

Whether it was navigating piles of confusing paperwork at the legal advice office, understanding the cost of being uninsured or building a shelter from cardboard boxes, each of the stations mirrored the burden of homelessness. At each stop, team leaders incorporated service learning activities such as making toiletry care packages, constructing blankets or designing posters about bullying. Each care package, blanket and poster will be distributed within the community.

“We had the (attendees) bring in cans of soup that they believed were for donation, when instead, it’s what we’re serving them for dinner at the soup kitchen,” said Myer. “This is to emphasize that what they’re actually donating in the real world is really being consumed. It makes them conscious of their choices.”

Across the parking lot teenagers shuffled and shivered, grumbling to one another about how frustrating some of their experiences were at the stations, especially the legal advice office.

“Homeless is a lot harder than I thought,” said Devon Lyons of Overland Park. “But I think this is a good summary of what it’s really like. I’ve never slept outside before so that should be interesting.”

Devon’s new group of friends nodded in agreement.

“This experience has really taught me to be thankful for what I’ve got at home and not take advantage of my privileges,” said Hailey Mason of Olathe.

As the night progressed, the youth volunteers completed the simulation three times with complications such as being mugged, experiencing a child emergency, getting hurt or being arrested thrown in the mix.

“We’re trying to stimulate thoughts about how difficult it is to receive homeless advocacy,” said team leader Kate Stachurski. “I think they’re getting the points that if they can’t figure out this system, imagine how difficult it would be for someone with a child or less education.”

After more than six hours of the homeless experience, the volunteers gathered for a final conversation before nestling into their makeshift shelters for the night.

“This was a great experience,” said Stephen Reddeklopp of Kansas City. “It teaches us what it’s like to be homeless and also how we can help. Synergy takes in more than 300 kids under the age of 12 every year and we can help by knowing what this experience is like and volunteering to help with the problem.”

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How to help

To volunteer or donate to Youth Volunteer Corps of Kansas City, visit www.yvca.org.

For more information on Synergy Services of Kansas City, visit www.synergyservices.org.