Reach Out Testimonials

"I felt like I could hear the young voices feeling safe to speak." - Dr. Patch Adams M.D.

What youth and community are saying.

YOUTH:

"The bus rocks. They accept us and don't judge us. They don't preach to us or try to shove stuff down your throats." - Sarah (14 years old)

"I used to be a youth that would hang out on the bus with all my friends. However i have turned my life around after some tough times. First off I would like to thank you and your team for opportunities and experiences i never thought possible." -Brenden (19 years old)

“I love the bus program, it is truly amazing and life changing. I think every community should have one, it is so amazing. I have connected with all the staff, and I love them all, this has made me more accepting of myself and others. It is amazing.” -- Mandy (13 years old)

“It has kept me safe at night and it gives me good info about why I shouldn’t do drugs and the people on the bus don’t make me scared to open up.” - Jerrod (14 years old)

“When I had a court date with\ my dad and I was really upset and angry with the outcome and Brittney helped me so much and I left the bus feeling a lot better.” - Chris (16 years old)

“The bus was there for me when my mom passed away and when I was choosing drugs and drinking al lot the bus workers helped me turn my life around.” - Lisa (14 years old)

“I love the bus program. I feel safe and secure, and it is a fun, safe place to connect positively with other peers and adults. I kinda considered myself a loner around Hyde Creek, then I got on the bus one night a few years ago and I made a lot of friends right away, many that I still have today. I love the bus program and it should be in every community.” - Mason (15 years old)

“Has the bus made a difference in my life? Yes, more than anything. - Cindy (14 years of age)

”“I love the youth bus!! I’m glad this thing exists. It should be in every country, and yeah, I think it makes people feel safer and happier. It feels good to get on the bus and not get totally judged.” - Devon (16 years old)

COMMUNITY:

"I just wanted to thank you again for the presentation you gave the Public Safety Committee at our February meeting. It was very informative and I believe I can speak for the committee when I say it is very impressive the amount of time and caring you give to the kids you interact with daily. You provide such a terrific service and I just want to thank you for all the hours and hard work you put into the program." Janine- City of Langley

"I really feel like i got a better feel for pocomo and the way it operates. I was really taken back by how much respect the youth had for the pocomo bus and how much of a difference it is possible to make just by being a positive role model for youth at an age where it seems to me to be the most important (since this is an age where they make allot of important choices). I even got to hear the pocomo rap song that one of the youth made, and i thought that was amazing. I think pocomo is one of a kind in the way we can be positive role models in a non-patronising manner (earning respect by giving respect and keeping an open mind with respect to the behaviour of others). Mackenzie - Ride ALong

"I like that the program is forward-thinking and preventative. Kids today often lack open and trusting relationships with adults and by offering a cool, mobile hang-out with positive peer and adult mentors, kids may become more trusting and willing to address issues bothering them that they normally wouldn’t with their parents, teachers, or other adults. I liked seeing the connections that were evident between the kids and the longer-term staff. I like that you are innovative with your program initiatives and fundraising efforts." Nicole- Ride Along

"I am very impressed with the staff's experience and understanding. They get youth! Connect really well! Respect is mutual! Caring and feeling of teen is a priority. This program is all about being proactive." Bruce Carabine- Principal, Minnekhada Middle School

"About the bus and the program... The idea of having a mobile youth centre was certainly something I could never have imagined until only a few weeks ago. Odd in that it's completely different... a quality these days. Upon witnessing your staff approach, hang out, chat, and introduce themselves to the kids that were out in that cold park, I was impressed. Nobody ran away. Nobody was upset. Instead, it was as though some more friends just showed up. I know from more a personal point of view that a program like this could certainly have benefited my brother when we were growing up in Kelowna. " Jeremy - Ride-along (Documentarian)

"The POCOMO Youth Society is a great program for youth's to engage in. Whether it be at a summer BBQ or after-hours in the parks or the streets. POCOMO finds youth's who need help whether it be someone to talk to or just a friend to sit with. I believe the youth society is bringing more to the community by being mobile and will make a difference in our communities." - Amanda- Ride-Along

"Other than the sudden bear at Cassandra Park. I feel that PoCoMo has an amazing program to be very proud of. The teens thought that the bus was the best idea invented and expressed how much they appreciated the group being around and having food and water for them! I really enjoyed being a part of it." - Volunteer

"Peaceful - Creative relationships are possible to evolve within individuals and between individuals at the individual’s pace and at any place. The Reach Out Bus beautifully capitalizes on this opportunity, and so the connections made by it between people are organic and real. It is courageously on the frontier of Youth interactions and experiences in our community. They are pioneering relationships as they will continue to be the first to discovery, feel, and then address issues of our society with our Youth." - Millardeville Community Centre-Coquitlam

" I sleep safer at night knowing the bus is out there for our youth." Parent-Kelly

"I am glad they are out there. They got the right spirit there, they've got the right idea. To some at-risk youth Friday night is the same as Tuesday night are the same to them. Many of the young people who might be helped who are in foster care or, sometimes, homeless, they're the last person they can trust." -Retired- Cpl Doug Francis-RCMP

"I am writing this in support of the PoCoMo Youth Services Society’s proposal for the Youth REACH OUT Project. This program has been an invaluable tool for youth mentoring, crime prevention and education, building community relationships, and community services."- Patrick Mehain, President B.C. Mounted Police Professional Association

"I applaud the efforts of all who are involved in the Reach Out program. This is an important program for our communities to support for it actively takes away helplessness of our most valuable assets in society- our youth." - Mayor of Port Moody, Joe Trasolini

"Dear Jerome, you and your bus family have created a teen club - bus on wheels - that is there for them, a safe haven. It was a thrill to be on the bus, I felt like I could hear the young voices feeling safe to speak."

IN PEACE ... Patch Adams M.D. (from the movie with Robin Williams)

Reach Out Testimonials

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