Success Stories
Mentorship Program
One of Mentorship’s longest running matches has recently come to a close. Carly and Samantha *were matched in December of 2007. When mentor Carly met her mentee Samantha, they didn’t know each other at all, but it has now been three years and they are closer than ever!
Carly and Samantha kept in touch over the years, meeting regularly and sharing some pretty memorable experiences together; lots of movies, a James Blunt concert, walks, meals, all you can eat sushi, the Aquarium, ice skating , a Canuck game and so much more. Carly most recently was supporting Samantha to get a job, and they would drop off resumes together throughout Vancouver. Even when distance separated the two of them, they kept in touch via email. They have shared so many years together, and so many laughs, and we congratulate them today on completing 3 years of Mentorship in the program. Carly says, without the support of the program, they would not have had access to so many tickets and activities in the community.
The greatest benefit to this relationship is that, although coming to a close, they have developed a friendship that will last a lifetime. Carly says that although she was Samantha’s mentor, Samantha taught her more than she ever thought possible. Carly wants to thank Samantha for being such a positive aspect of her life, and looks forward to knowing her for many years to come. Carly also wants Samantha to know what a beautiful, strong young woman she has become; she is so proud of her!
*not their real names
Making a Difference, One Youth at a Time
Over twenty years experience has led to long-term engagement of youth. Chelsea is one example of how youth progress through our programs over time.
Chelsea is a member of the Kwakwaka'wakw Nation and has been involved with UNYA for ten years. As a 13 year old, Chelsea’s first contact with us was with the Young Girls Group, then at 15 she accessed our Drop-in Centre, she also joined the Young Women’s Drum Group, played floor hockey and basketball, and went on 4 canoe journeys.
Chelsea has volunteered in fundraising efforts for youth activities and developed a partnership with our local Safeway to raise funds for our programs. We are proud that Chelsea worked as the Assistant Coordinator for our Native Youth Learning Centre.
Chelsea says "UNYA staff have always had a positive influence in my life, and have helped me with guidance and support through out the years”. Chelsea "thinks that it is great that the NYC is being built. It will be a centralized place to have access to a variety of services”.
Chelsea is a great role model for Native youth and adults alike. Her drive and openness to support have helped her to recognize and take hold of opportunities that UNYA and others have offered her.
Young Wolves Lodge
Twenty-year old Julie* entered Young Wolves Lodge for a four-month stay with one goal in mind, to get herself better so that she could see her young child on a regular basis. Julie had been in the care of MCFD from 6 months old until she was 19. She had gone through as many as 20 different foster homes and became pregnant with her child at fifteen. Her addiction began at the age of 11 years and she was on to harder drugs by age 14. Her addiction escalated when she received tragic news about one of her parents. This downward spiral eventually led her onto the streets; leaving her child with his biological father. She suffered physical and mental abuse from a variety of partners, and suffered a total breakdown before entering YWL. At this point she realized that if she didn’t make better choices, and change her life, she would eventually die.
While at YWL, Julie began to come to terms with her past, low self-esteem and personal image and realized that she was just at the beginning of her recovery. Before graduating from YWL, she became a voice for youth throughout the community and blossomed into the woman that was always there, but hidden. A past graduate of YWL encouraged her to attend the recovery program, so she recognized the importance of sharing her story so that others could benefit from the program. She stated that the Young Wolves Lodge staff saved her life and were giving her another chance to be with her child. She realizes that she is not cured, but that she is on a long journey to recovery. She began looking into treatment programs that she could continue with once she left YWL, something she was against in her first couple of months of recovery. She went on to enter a 10-week treatment program and set a one year goal to work her way to reunite with her child and continue her life on the Red Road.
*Julie is not her real name