August 2021

 

With so much uncertainty in our lives these days, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by anxiety. But the Bible tells us that with God, all things are possible. And because of your support, Ray of Hope continues to help vulnerable people cope with the challenges they face.

In this issue, learn how Savannah overcame her fears and is now doing things she never thought she could. You can also read about a new online series that will assist families who are caring for troubled teens. Thank you for providing help and hope when our neighbours need it most.

Are you providing support for a youth who is dealing with substance misuse and other mental health concerns? Do you sometimes feel helpless or frustrated by their behaviour? Ray of Hope’s Youth Addiction Services (YAS) can help.

This fall, YAS is offering Helping the Helpers, a three-part online series on how to help support the young person in your life. A pilot program earlier this summer earned positive feedback from participants, many of whom said they appreciated the tools and coping skills the program taught them.

How the program works

before each session, participants are sent a video with information about each week’s topic, allowing them to watch at their convenience. Then, participants meet as a group on Zoom with YAS staff to discuss the topics, which include understanding addiction, managing stress, how to set healthy boundaries, and more.

The series is open to everyone, even if the youth you care for is not involved in YAS programs.

Watch the YAS webpage for the series’ introductory video, coming late August. If you are interested in attending the series, please use our online referral form. If you would like more information, please email us and we will return your message as soon as possible.

Savannah Bromley was desperate to find a job. But the young woman’s crippling fear prevented her finding and keeping work.

“My anxiety always ruined everything — every interview or orientation never lasted very long.”

Somehow, she found the courage to enter Ray of Hope’s Youth Employment Program. Now Savannah is not only working full-time, she’s helping other young people navigate their way through the program.

A support cushion

“I never had a proper job before being in this program,” Savannah says. “But being completely on my own, I desperately needed work. Then I came across the youth program.”

“When Savannah started the program, she was very nervous and she disclosed early on that her anxiety was preventing her from reaching her goals,” says Youth Employment Counsellor Rebecca Scholl.

“During the in-class portion of the program, she really started to open up, actively engaging in group discussions and challenging herself to meet goals, like speaking in class, that she previously would not have tried.”

“For me, the most useful part of the program was building the skills I needed to develop further and then being placed in an environment I wasn’t fully comfortable with — all while still having that extra support cushion from Ray of Hope’s team cheering me on,” Savannah says.

Growing confidence

Savannah completed her internal placement at the Morning Glory Café at Heffner Toyota, where her confidence continued to grow. At her external placement as a merchandiser at Shoppers Drug Mart, she quickly learned the tasks and technology the job required. And at the end of her placement, she was offered a full-time position.

“Customer service was a struggle for me at first but using the skills I developed in the program made it much easier. As strange as it is to say, I like the occasional challenges I face at work, simply because it reminds me of how far I’ve come and how much I’ve grown.”

No need to ‘fake it’

In addition to her full-time work at Shoppers, Savannah was recently hired as the catering assistant at Ray of Hope.

“I wanted to stay involved in everything Ray of Hope has to offer and the positive impact it has on people’s lives.”

“I help put together daily meals for Community Centre guests,” she says. “In the kitchen, I work alongside the Youth Employment program participants doing their internal placement. I know how the program helped me so I’m more than happy to be given the opportunity to be involved in someone else’s success story

A passion for helping

“Savannah has now come full circle in this program and is in a position where she gets to support new participants as they navigate through their internal placements,” Rebecca says.

“Whenever Savannah was nervous about taking on a new task in class, she would say, ‘I’ll fake it till I make it.’ But she no longer needs to fake it. She has made it and is doing a fantastic job! I can’t wait to see what great things she will do in the future!”

What might that future look like for Savannah?

“I’m not entirely sure where I’m headed next,” she says “but I want to graduate and get an education that could open many doors. I have such passion toward helping people and making a difference, whatever that might look like for me!”

When you give, you make life a little easier for vulnerable people in our community. Thank you!

The Marketplace food hamper program can always use these items:

• Protein items like canned meat or fish and peanut butter
• Canned tomatoes, cans/jars of fruit, pasta sauce
• Toothbrushes and full-size deodorants

For more information, please contact us at: info@rayofhope.net.

You can also provide meals for hungry people through our secure donation page.