“I’m an ex-resident of YWS in the Stay in School Program. I stayed at SIS for about four years. Finished high school and started college there. Without YWS I would have end up on the streets. I came out at 16 years old and my parents kicked me out. At age 16 years old you have no idea who you are. Where to go? Who to ask for help? I turned to self-harm and I had no one to ask for help. I finally disclosed to my high school teacher what had been going on. They made me see a social worker at the school and I explained to her what was going o. They suggested I go to YWS in the Stay in School Program.
I was scared and I didn’t know anything about YWS or what’s about. Me and my teacher went for a tour and the minute I walked in I felt at home. The first night I cred but it wasn’t sad tears it was was happy tears because I know knew a place where I could be who I am and not be ashamed of who I am.
During those four years I was taught a a lot. I got tutors for my homework. The field I wanted to go into I needed a second, which I now know because of a YWS tutor. I learned so many life skills. How to cook , how to do laundry, how to mange my time between school, work, and my time. If it wasn’t for the staff, volunteers and supporters. I don’t know where I would have ended up.
Now I work for one one of the Canada’s top airlines as a flight attendant. I have seen over 200 counties and done things I thought I never would have experienced in my life. My future goals in the next five years are to be able to move up in the company as a VP of either operations or customer service.