A young man came to our Crisis Program because of family breakdown. This led him to reach out and ask us for help. During his intake, we talked about the several things he was going through and developed a good connection.
Recently, he came up to me and let me know that he just had lunch with his mom, who he hadn’t seen in over a year. He said that it felt awkward talking to her at first, but it soon developed into a great conversation. He then told me, with tears in his eyes, that “it really warmed my heart.”
What he said really warmed my heart as well. I was taken aback by what he shared with me—typically, he keeps more to himself. Suddenly, I was holding back tears, too. It’s amazing to see someone come from a difficult family situation, stay with us in our care, and after a short amount of time, feel safe enough to really open up with us.
That’s what being a youth worker is all about—moments like this. We don’t always directly hear about every success or challenge that a youth overcomes in their life. But when we have the honor of sharing these kinds of moments, it puts everything into perspective. It edifies the work we do.
Hearing good news like this uplifts and encourages all of us to continue caring for each individual who steps through our doors.
Shared by Stephen, Youth Worker at our Crisis Program