Youth Outreach Workers like Stacy help young people access opportunities for personal growth
Linda was at her wits’ end. A young mother with a one-year old daughter, Linda was struggling with motherhood, the pandemic, and the loss of her father. She reached out to The Neighbourhood Group for support, and found the help she needed.
Provincial Youth Outreach Workers (YOWs) help young people like Linda. By working with schools, community housing, hospitals, primary and mental health care facilities and settlement services, YOWs help youth and their families access critical community supports, and engage young people in meaningful opportunities for change.
One of our newest YOWs, Stacy, knows very well what growing up without support can be like. “I was raised in the Taylor-Massey community. It has always been pretty rough there and I saw the heartbreaking effect that life without resources and experiences had on some of my childhood friends. My mom worked hard to put me in after-school programs and summer camp. When I saw the work she did at Neighbourhood Link, I knew I wanted to help people like she did.
“As a YOW, I can help young people access the resources and experiences that many of my peers couldn’t. What guides me is the belief that young people are full of potential. I look at how far Linda has come, the sense of purpose she now has despite her challenges, and I know that with the right supports, opportunities and guidance, young people are capable of anything.”