Slowly Steve has built trusting relationships within our Crisis Program

One of the fundamental principles at Covenant House Vancouver is building meaningful relationships with our young people. It can often take a lot of time to build connections with many of our youth as they have difficult relationships in the past including being neglected or abused. So, our staff take pride in building a trusting relationship with our youth by spending time with them, talking to them, and participating in activities with them.

Christmas time comes with a lot of activities for our youth including building gingerbread houses.  When Steve first came to us, he was quiet and withdrawn and did not taking to others in the program, let alone staff. But he has since opened up a lot, to a point where he has come to the office to sit down and talk to staff consistently. I think it’s an indication that our team has made a connection with him, and he has found our Crisis Program to be a safe place for him to open up and share more of himself.

Over the weekend the youth had the opportunity to make gingerbread houses. Steve was very proud of his beautifully designed house and was excited to show us. I thought it was a nice symbol of home, and how far Steve had come in his relationship with us, that he was now comfortable enough to create something and share it with us.

Shared by Deegy, Team Leader at our Crisis Program