Welcome to STORIES FROM THE STREET

The following are stories, poems, thoughts from the street. These stories that will invite you to look through the eyes of the youth we meet and the staff who are out there after-hours supporting them.

We hope that these stories share some insight into what some youth are facing, experiencing, and feeling. Also, their strength of spirit, courage, and resilience.

"If you look at one youth as not important, all youth will begin to feel unimportant."

Cutting, smoking weed, cigarettes and drinking quite a bit. Always fought with my friends, depressed, selfish, didn't think their was a way out. I went on the teen bus on the weekends, to get munchies because I was burnt out or drunk some nights.. I was in a dark place, I actually didn't think I'd be who I am today.. But Corrie helped me, I'll tell you how.. Corrie is a worker on the Teen Bus and I was on it one night, I want a cig from a "friend", the Corrie informed me what i already knew about cigs and drugs. I thought about it a little but carried on to doing what I was use to, I didn't want change, wasn't use to it. I thought none cared but now that I realize that people actually do care. Corrie started talking to me on facebook trying to get me to go to an after school program, I finally started coming, and then we were looking into things to help me out and keep me busy during the week and weekend. It was really hard at first, but then I started to feel good about myself. Soon I started taking Swimming Lesson to get my requirements for Life Guarding, something I can look forward to in the future and to be able to think that I'm going to do something with my life. At first I was like this is only going to last a while, but then my attitude started to change. I got help for cutting, stopped smoking cigarettes, and calmed down on the booze and weed. I don't know what'd I do without Corrie and the teen bus to help me out when I'm in need. I'm so thankful for them so very much. Thank you.

-Tina, 15 years old

"The teen bus has helped me out a lot, but mostly Krysta. She comes and has meeting with me helps me at any time of the day/night if I need help and is always there for me to talk to The biggest way Krysta or anyone has helped was getting me into detox and than into a recovery house after that, she called me all the time to see how I was if I was okay and for when we could go to meetings. I know I can ask her anything and she will know the answer or help me figure it out." - Alicia, 14 years old

"The other night when I was working on the bus, I was checking in with Tim about life, how work was going, etc.. He stopped me mid conversation and said, “I’m starting to talk like you.” Confused, I asked him what he meant. “Well I had a girl come to me asking if she could vent because I am an outsider. Usually I’d say no and continue whatever I was doing but I didn’t. We sat down and talked and I realized I sounded just like you.” I asked him if he thought it was a good thing or a bad thing and he said, “I don’t know, but I’m beginning to understand why you guys are out here every weekend.” I told him I think that’s pretty cool, but as for him talking like me and all the credit is his. I may have given him a tool, but as for being a good friend that was all him."

Reach Out staff

WREAL

Where do we go? Where do we turn?

We as youth are continually confronted with the frustrations and denial, which the older generations of today are themselves dealing with. We are therefore forced to deal with anger that is completely out of our control.

We seek truth, then, through fear, through love, through pain, through drugs… we thrive on the bits of truth we find there. Yet our truths seem to be our troubles. Yet these truths are real.

Emily, 16 years old