How do I define success? Success is when your mom dies and you’re alone at eleven and you grow up in group homes and your best friend is your Children’s Aid caseworker. Success is getting your own apartment at sixteen, winning awards in school, singing in the choir, going to college, becoming an entrepreneur, and interning at Children’s Aid. I am a success, and my mom would be proud that I’m happy.

I’m an addict – 4 years clean – and a mother. The key to my recovery was: I got honest. I got honest with Children’s Aid, and with their help I was able to get my kids and my life back. I’ll always be grateful to them – they’re the unsung heroes of my life. I don’t sing, but I will play the drums to say, “thank you.”

I definitely think for us older youth being able to contact my worker with just questions in regards to life skills such as how to go about doing a dentist appointment has been extremely helpful and I know I definitely appreciated my worker’s time and help with that. As well as the different opportunities we have to earn more money by just completing a fire safety test. Those are very good things to have knowledge of, especially if you are living on your own. I really enjoyed being invited to the Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners where we could connect with the other youth, as well as YouthCAN and all of the other interactive activities that I have gotten to go to. Anytime I have needed anything my worker, regardless of how small or silly, has never left a question unanswered. As someone who has not experienced a lot of consistency in my life, I have always appreciated how consistent my worker has been.