“I wanted to share this story with you. This person went from an abusive living arrangement with no income and nowhere to go to a full-time job, counselling support and an apartment all in just over three months. We are all so proud of her and the work that she did to achieve these goals! Please read below.” – Erin Goodyear, Executive Director, Choices Youth Shelter
How Choices Youth Shelter has helped me.
This year in late April/early May, I was put in contact with the Choices Youth Shelter after getting out of a domestic violence situation and not being able to get into the women’s shelter for assistance. They were extremely accepting. They let me stay in the shelter while I worked on getting in touch with Family Transition Place and offered counseling support, as I was getting back into employment as well.
Since my birthday was in July and I was turning 25, Erin let me know not to stress and that I could stay until I figured out a place to rent. (Choices offers shelter to youth aged 16-24.)
My case worker, Erica, at Choices helped me by providing me with the necessary information and advice I needed to move forward, such as financial and employment advice, and mental health assistance, setting me up with arts therapy and counseling through the Salvation Army.
I was also introduced to the Family Transition Place’s rent-geared-to-income program and was quickly set up with an apartment thanks to the quick thinking and adaptive working of the staff. They all showed an extreme understanding and empathetic force.
Through advocacy and working with the youth, staff get them to vocalize what they need out of the situation to move forward with life. Shelters like Choices Youth Shelter are pillars of the community and provide an exemplary place to give support and to help youth struggling with the problems they face, so that they can become productive members of society again.
From left-right: Erin Goodyear, Executive Director, Choices Youth Shelter receives a cheque from MaryAnn Lowry, Michele Fisher & Gord Gallaugher from Dufferin Community Foundation.
(Photo by Doug Schaefer)
Choices Youth Shelter received a $3,000 grant from our 2022 Dufferin Emergency Support Fund to send four full-time staff to Concurrent Disorders Core training at CAMH.
