Covenant House Vancouver

Covenant House Vancouver is very fortunate to have caring members of our community who give their time, treasure and talent to help us improve the lives of the young people we work with each day.

A great example of this is our long time friends at Hollyburn Properties. Hollyburn is a forward thinking property management company who has expanded their involvement with us to include an opportunity for some of our young people to live in their beautiful apartments. In addition, all the greatly reduced “rent” that is paid over the year will be returned to help aid in the plan to help these young people leave the streets forever.

This innovative way to support our work provides young people with opportunities that we otherwise would not be able to give and we are truly thankful to Hollyburn, as are our young people.

The following is a letter written by a young person helped by Hollyburn.

Merriam-Webster tells us it is...
1a:  happily excited : merry <in a gay mood>
b:    keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits <a bird's gay spring song>
2a:  bright, lively <gay sunny meadows>
b:    brilliant in color
3a:  given to social pleasures; also : licentious
4a:  homosexual <gay men>
b:    of, relating to, or used by homosexuals <the gay rights movement> <a gay bar>

For me, the meaning of being of gay is being real and honest. Knowing who you really are as a person.

I "came-out" when I was in High School around grade 11. I went to school where there were a lot of closed-minded people. They really didn't have the tools to act or respond to a gay person.
I was bullied all through those years, but there were a few people who stood by me and as a result, became very good friends. They understood my choice to "come-out" as a gay person.

For me, I said to myself "Why hide the real me ?". "Why please the people that weren't important?"

That's what I did. Dealing with homophobia everyday of my life was very challenging and sad, at times. But I surrounded myself with positive, loving, caring people.

There are two ways to go about homophobia. Either you drown yourself with tears and suicidal thoughts or you try to understand them and enlighten their ignorance. For me, I didn't feel like I had to kill myself because of their fears. That would only reinforce their behaviour towards me.

I prayed every night to God to just get me through high school and give me strength to go on, so someday I could try to educate other people who were in my position.

By the time I was three years old, you'll probably won't believe but I was stressing cause I was watching my grandma grow old.
If she left who would take care of the innocence I didn't know.
So the first thing I thought, trust nobody in the world and before your chance leaves all aboard.
"Don't forget about me," I use to scream. But it seems everything I asked for was ignored regardless of my needs.
But the day I found the Covenant in 2008, I was still a street kid looking for away. I was hungry and they fed me dinner every night. "Man I didn't miss a plate".
I was hopeless looking in the dark. But now I see brighter days. Yeah!
All the kids eating good in the Covenant got it made.
A stray, no longer do you have to run. I'll be here for the rest of your days.
God forgave the homeless kids and made the covenant there new place

Please enjoy the poem below created by one of our talented young people.

One day at a time, that's what they say,
Living in yesterday won't give you what you want.
I remember how I used to wish the pain away,
But now I'm re-writing my life in a different font.

I used to sit alone in my room fiending,
Trying to cover up those depressed feelings.
Now I'd rather hang out in an AA meeting,
And finally for the first time I feel like I'm healing.

It feels really good just to be me,
And not living in total fear,
It's like I was blind and now I can see,
And everything is crystal clear.

Now I can't wait for the years to come,
Without worrying how to stay numb.

Covenant House's Downtown Street Voice (DSV) exists to bring awareness and education to issues that street entrenched and at risk youth face.  DSV is a youth lead advocacy and activist group. This is Covenant House Vancouver's longest running youth group. Though it has taken many forms over the years, it has continued due to the hard work and dedication of a few youth, strong belief in youth engagement and great team work within Covenant House.

This group is mostly youth driven, but is staffed and funded by Covenant House. That means this groups runs as a democracy within itself as to its group guidelines, direction, allocation of the DSV budget, and membership agreements but all meetings are facilitated by a Life Skills Worker.

One of the services DSV offers is "The Real Game of Life" which they faciliate to groups who are interested in learning what it's really like to live on the streets.  Click here for more information.

I haven't posted any youth artwork or photography in a while (sorry!) but here a few to tide you over until I round up some more.  Our youth participation strategy and life skills training includes art/photography along with recreational outings (yoga on Friday afternoons at YYOGA), and cultural & sporting events (we are blessed to receive donated tickets to plays, opera, hockey games etc.)

Many of our youth were not exposed to the arts when they were growing up and it is very endearing when you see them get ready for a night at the Vancouver Opera.  The evening usually begins with a trip to our clothing room to choose appropriate attire and there is excitement in the air as everyone gets ready for a "fancy" night out.  Our recreational volunteers and/or staff accompany the youth and encourage them to write thank you letters to the donors responsibile for the tickets.

Enjoy the photos below; comments, as always, are encouraged.

Argyle Secondary School did an amazing video for Covenant House as part of the Youth and Philantropy Initiative.

The Youth and Philanthropy Initiative, created by the Toskan Casale Foundation, is a one-of-a-kind educational program that gives young people hands-on experience in social change and empowers them to participate in the development of their communities.

In B.C. the YPI project is assigned to high school students (in participating schools) enrolled in Planning 10. Students work in groups, researching and selecting a local non-profit social service organization. Students set up a meeting with representatives of their chosen charity to gain more insight on the services provided to the community. Once research is complete the students create a ten-minute presentation on their charity and how a grant would better serve its clients.

One group from each class is selected to compete in a school final where a judging panel selects a winning team. The winners receive a $5,000 grant from the Toskan Casale Foundation that is awarded to the charity the student group represented.

To view this wonderful video click here.