Here's My CYC Journey
Here’s my CYC journey! Growing up, I was a shy kid who struggled in school. I often had difficulty expressing myself and my ideas, which led to being misunderstood by many teachers and adults, leaving me without the support I needed.
​
Despite my reserved nature, through various opportunities, I discovered a passion for working with children and youth. I was able to connect with them, empathizing with their experiences. These opportunities and programs helped me build confidence, develop leadership skills, and gain valuable experience working with diverse groups of children and youth.
​
As a CYC, my mission is to support children and youth to the best of my ability, ensuring they don’t have to face the same struggles I did.
First Placement
UrbanPromise (196 hours)
As a placement student at UrbanPromise, I had the opportunity to engage in a variety of meaningful tasks. I was involved in planning, preparing, and executing activities for the after-school care
program, while also supporting the academic, spiritual, and social growth of the
youth. Additionally, I built strong relationships with the children and youth, serving
as a mentor and role model to each of them.​​
During my time at UrbanPromise, I had the opportunity to plan and facilitate various
art and homework activities. When creating these activities, I always aimed to make
them both fun and meaningful, with a strong emphasis on building relationships and
engaging with the children. Some of the creative projects I planned included making stress balls, lava lamps, origami animals, and painting. For homework activities, I focused on blending education with enjoyment. Typically, I planned a combination of one sit-down activity and one physical activity. Examples included multiplication and addition races, math bingo, spelling bees, storybook creation, and writing letters to their future selves. Another highlight of my experience at UrbanPromise was teaching a "Word Up" lesson, which is a Bible object lesson. One of the reasons I chose UrbanPromise was because of its Christian foundation, and being able to share my faith with both the children and staff was incredibly meaningful. I taught a lesson on God's grace using Ephesians 2:8, illustrating how grace is a gift.
​​
​Overall, my experience at UrbanPromise has been incredible. I've grown and
learned so much throughout my time there. The team is truly amazing, and I
know they will continue to make a positive impact in the Rexdale community.
I deeply appreciate all the hard work they’ve put into the program and their
dedication to mentoring students like myself. Moving forward, I will continue
volunteering at UrbanPromise to support their work and further develop the skills I’ve gained.
​
​
​
Second Placement
REST Centres (396 hours)
My second placement was at REST Centres (Restoration and Empowerment for Social Transition), a B3 housing organization dedicated to helping BIPOC youth in the Peel region secure housing. In addition to housing support, REST provides wraparound services that help youth develop essential life skills, such as financial literacy, home economics, mentorships, employment opportunities, and mental health support.
During my time with REST, I was actively involved in several programs and initiatives. I had the opportunity to support two key programs: the HERO program, a group counseling initiative, and the Employment Program, which helps youth search for and secure employment. My role in these programs primarily involved administrative support, which allowed me to build meaningful relationships with the youth while contributing to their growth and success.
Beyond program support, I worked directly with a case manager, gaining valuable hands-on experience in case management. I participated in numerous intakes and monthly review meetings, where I developed skills such as creating SOAP notes, conducting intakes, and facilitating meetings. I also learned how to provide clients with tailored support, whether by offering resources, mental health services, or assistance with practical tasks like building resumes or applying to schools.
In collaboration with my case manager, I also helped plan and organize job readiness workshops for the youth. Together, we facilitated a hands-on PSW (Personal Support Worker) workshop and a Food Handler certification session. These projects allowed me to enhance my professional communication and administrative skills. My responsibilities included coordinating with facilitators, managing budgets for food, scheduling sessions, and ensuring effective communication with the youth regarding all workshop details.
Overall, my experience at REST Centres has been incredibly rewarding. In just a few months, I learned and grew so much, both personally and professionally. REST Centres does critical work in the Peel region, and I am grateful to have contributed to their mission. Looking ahead, I am excited to continue applying the skills I’ve gained while also learning new ones, as I will be returning to REST Centres for my third placement.
Third Placement
REST Centres (396 hours)
For my third placement, I continued working with REST Centres, contributing to several initiatives, with a primary focus on the Family Intervention & Reunification Managemen (FIRM) program. FIRM helps prevent youth homelessness in Black, African, and Caribbean families by addressing family breakdowns through counseling, conflict resolution, and connecting families with resources for long-term stability. During my time at FIRM, I gained hands-on experience in several areas. I observed client sessions and had the opportunity to lead sessions with support from the FIRM Lead. I also worked on improving my case note writing by documenting session notes and participated in outreach at Open Window Hub and Malton Youth Hub. Additionally, I conducted research on best practices for supporting Black families, helped plan and facilitate workshops, and contributed to developing key documents like the FIRM safety plan. I also used my creative skills to design FIRM posters to support program initiatives.
​
Beyond FIRM, I contributed to other REST programs, including HERO, Tenant Education,
and the Employment Clinic, while also assisting with one-off workshops like the Shea
Butter Workshop. I even had the opportunity to facilitate my own Vision Board Workshop,
which was a great learning experience. One of my biggest projects was assisting with
Shades of Black, REST’s annual Black History Month event. I took on multiple responsibilities
but was primarily in charge of event décor and youth engagement in media, capturing the
event from a youth perspective. This placement allowed me to build valuable skills, gain
diverse experience, and actively contribute to impactful programs.
Plans for the future
I believe that I will become a great CYC because I will do everything I can to advocate, support, mentor, protect and help cultivate the children and youth I will work with.