sarah
— SARAH
From a short stint of homelessness in Toronto, to experiences with foster care and boarding houses in St. John's, Sarah was finding her adolescence marred by situations unconducive to a safe and happy life.
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Through some friends and an old connection to the former Child, Youth and Family Services site (located in the same building as CFY) Sarah became acquainted - and eventually quite familiar - with Choices for Youth.
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At first, CFY's programs and supports felt like a mismatch for Sarah. Short of getting formally involved, she instead built a slow rapport with staff and clients. Sarah and her dog, PJ, could often be found outside of the Outreach Centre, and staff reached out to and supported them both as needed - whether with dog food, or a friendly hello.
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As her comfort and involvement grew, some of CFY's services and programs started to make more sense for Sarah. These days, Sarah is incredibly active in the CFY community; she volunteers in the Outreach kitchen with Chef Lois, she is a recent Jumpstart program graduate (and received an award for perfect attendance), she is a client of the Moving Forward program, and she works part-time in the Your Turn Boutique.
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Sarah recognizes the changes she has gone through since becoming a part of CFY.
“I'm becoming more mindful … I come at things with a different attitude than I used to. I'm trying to help others and help myself.”
In addition to all of her great achievements, Sarah is also working towards completing her General Education development through Thrive. She is incredibly ambitious and has no plans to slow down after that, with dreams of pursuing a post-secondary education and a career that gives her a creative outlet.
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Sarah's energy is contagious, and despite life's ups-and-downs it is obvious that she has no problem fighting for her happiness:
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"Me and my social worker are looking at college applications now. I'm building relationships and opening doors."