Covenant House Vancouver

About a year ago I received a phone call from McBride Elementary School Vice Principal Jason Eng - he informed me of his school's three-year plan to fundraise for Covenant House. Why are they doing this? Jason's answer was succinct,"To give our students the idea that they can make a difference in the world."

Since that initial conversation I've been awestruck by the students' dedication to Covenant House's cause and the support shown by teachers and staff. Led by the school's Global Citizenship Club and Student Council, "Toonie Tuesdays" was created - a monthly fundraiser that encourages every student to donate $2.00 for Covenant House. Their fundraising strategy was expanded with the development and creation of a wristband. Wristbands inscribed with "McBride Supports Covenant House" were mass-produced and are being sold on an ongoing basis. Total funds raised in 2009 alone were over $2,500!

The students of McBride Elementary School have clearly demonstrated their commitment as young global citizens; they have indeed made a difference in the lives of the youth we serve.

Mark Savard addresses students & staff at Sir Richard McBride Elementary
School's kickoff assembly - their fundraising campaign launch for Covenant House.

I want to share with you a wonderful article I stumbled upon about a doctor who is teaching standup comedy as a way to help and empower people with mental health issues. The Article is by Fabiola Carletti and is called “A Funny Thing Happen to Me on the Way to Mental Illness”.  Please click here to learn about tackling mental illness in a whole new way.

Last week I posted the sixth of eight pages from a young person's comic strip that depicts her experience in the pyschiatric ward faced with mental health and addictions issues.  It a startlingly powerful piece and we applaud her courage for creating it and for allowing us to share it with our readers.  I would like to thank Nicole for her courage, insight and wisdom.  We have had great feedback on this comic, both the writing and illustration have moved people. 

Scroll down to see the conclusion.

Please note that some of the language and content in the comic may be offensive to some readers. 

Comments, as always, are welcomed.

Part One: 

Part Two:

 

Part Three:

Part Four:

 

Part Five:

 

  

Part Six

 

Conclusion:

  

 

 

 

 

 

One of the young women staying in our ROP program had the wonderful opportunity of building the medal podiums for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. As part of VANOC and Rona's Fabrication Shop (Fab Shop as Carmen called it), the partnership between VANOC and RONA provided young people with the training to build over 11,000 woodem items used throughout the Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Carmen began working with "Fab Shop" last October and was sworn to secrecy: despite being asked repeatedly by fellow ROP youth, Carmen was not allowed to say what she working on. It wasn't until she watched the first medal ceremony on TV with the rest of the ROP youth did she fully realize what she had been a part of; needless to say, she was thrilled with results and very proud to have played her part in the success of the Games.

Congratulations Carmen on your part in "owning the podium"!

Last week I posted the fifth of eight pages from a young person's comic strip that depicts her experience in the pyschiatric ward faced with mental health and addictions issues.  It a startlingly powerful piece and we applaud her courage for creating it and for allowing us to share it with our readers.  Scroll down to see Part Six.

Please note that some of the language and content in the comic may be offensive to some readers. 

Comments, as always, are welcomed.

Part One: 

Part Two:

 

 

 

Part Three:

Part Four:

 

Part Five:

 

  

Part Six

 

Next week we will publish Part Seven

My working relationship began with Carrie during the summer when she and her boyfriend came to Vancouver from another province. When I first met Carrie I could see she was sweet and gentle woman with much kindness in her heart; I could tell she came from a good family background. As time passed and my relationship continued to develop with Carrie I noticed she carried with her a heavy weight of sadness and learned she suffered from bipolar disorder.

When Carrie came to Vancouver with her boyfriend, she wasn't on the streets long before she began coming into Covenant House to see how we could help them find housing, get off the streets, and begin a normal life. The first thing we began to do was help Carrie get set up to stay at the shelter at Covenant House. Carrie seemed interested in this option so we went through all the necessary procedures and she was set up to stay for the night. The next morning I learned that Carrie had left the shelter the evening before to see her boyfriend who was still on the street and never came back.

This experience was the first of many that our relationship would encounter over the course of the next 5 months. There were times when we were on the road to making progress but then Carrie would disappear for periods of time or we would set up arrangements to shelters, or meetings for her to get housing and she wouldn't show up.

One time, in particular, I had made an appointment, at Carrie's request, to meet with a counsellor; this would be a significant visit in Carrie's life. This appointment was to help Carrie work through a traumatic incident that occurred 2 years ago in her life that was pivotal in her turning to a life on the street. However, that morning I waited and Carrie again didn't show up.

I guess as I write this, you would generally think after this many missed opportunities someone should give up on the individual because they aren't capable, loyal, or trustworthy but that's not it at all. If we would have given up on Carrie at that particular moment, she wouldn't be back at home today united with her family and recovering. It's because of the relationship we built with Carrie, that one even would perceive as continuous failure, that Carrie did keep returning knowing she messed up.

For those five months we continued to build in to Carrie. When we would see her on the street we would always welcome her with open arms and share with her that Covenant house was always there for her. It was important for us to validate her feelings and the situations she was in while at the same time to persevere on and continue to make the right choices.

When she called Covenant House it meant always having someone available for her 24 hours a day. Even if we on Outreach couldn't meet, then there was the shelter reception, or if that wasn't available there was the 24 help line. Other things we did were to stop by the hotel she was staying at and drop our contact information with the manager. Often we do this just so we can keep a closer eye on the youth. In this case if she went missing for a couple of days or he noticed anything else out of character he would call us.

In November there was a glimmer of light in Carrie's life. I received a phone call from her and I thought this could be a turning point. In our phone conversation Carrie, almost exhausted of her lifestyle, let everything out and shared how she was tired of being on the streets and she wanted to go home, back to her family.

There was a tinge of excitement within me as I truly hoped this would be the one thing Carrie would follow through on. During the next few days Covenant House began completing all the necessary paperwork for returning Carrie to her home community. We spoke with Carrie's Mom, her doctor, and bought the plane ticket.

The day came for Carrie's departure, all of us waited including her Mom back home. On that Wednesday morning we sat, looking at the clock with every passing second waiting to drive Carrie to the airport. Five minutes of waiting turned into hours passing by and with sadness in my heart we got back on the phone with the airline and Carrie's Mom cancelling her trip back home. Carrie didn't show. We would just have to keep waiting; Carrie had to be ready on her time.

Within a few days, Carrie phoned us again letting us know she was in the hospital and fell into a deep depression. I and another outreach worker went down to the hospital to visit her. After a couple of days of long discussion, meeting with her doctor, Carrie was ready to make the journey home once again. On the day of her departure, we stayed with Carrie offering her all the support she needed to get back on the plane to Ontario. Carrie did make it that day to airport and on that plane heading east. It was a huge victory for her.

The next morning Covenant house received a call from her Mother thanking us so much. She expressed such joy that you could hear the love pouring out over the phone of her little girl being back at home.

 

We were fortunate to have had two tickets to the Olympics Opening Ceremonies donated to us from an individual donor who couldn't attend at the last minute and are thrilled that it was enjoyed so much by the two youth who attended. Below is the thank you letter one of the youth wrote to the donor:

Thank you so much for giving me the experience of going to the opening ceremony. I had so much fun and it was incredible and exciting! I cried when I thought of how amazing whoever it was who donated the tickets was; it takes a truly incredible person to donate the tickets and give us such a wonderful experience!

Thanks again,

(name withheld for confidentiality)

Last week I posted the fourth of eight pages from a young person's comic strip that depicts her experience in the pyschiatric ward faced with mental health and addictions issues.  It a startlingly powerful piece and we applaud her courage for creating it and for allowing us to share it with our readers.  Scroll down to see Part three.

Please note that some of the language and content in the comic may be offensive to some readers. 

Comments, as always, are welcomed.

Part One: 

Part Two:

 

 

 

Part Three:

Part Four:

 

Part Five:

 

  

 Next week we will publish Part Six

Addiction devastates many families in Canada and at Covenant House we see its effect on our youth in many ways. Many of the youth we serve struggle with addictions (crystal meth, alcohol, heroin, crack) and many are on the street due to the addictions of their parents or caregivers addictions.

Addiction is not something to be ashamed of, whether it is affecting you personally, your child or someone else in your circle of family and friends.  Below are some resources you can seek out if you or someone you know is struggling with addictions.

If you have a specific question please feel free to write us at the Ask Covenant House section on our blog and we will do our best to answer your questions.

Support groups:

Alcoholics Anonymous Vancouver
Narcotics Anonymous
British Columbia Region of Narcotics Anonymous
Al-anon

Detox and treatment centres

Canadian Drug Rehab Centres
Angels Community

Other Information

Addictions and Recovery
Spiritual River
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction