#ryersonstudent

When I started as a youth worker working with homeless youth I used to have to discharge this one client over and over again. He was disrespectful, disregarded the rules, generally just created problems all day long. I'd kick him out and by my next shift he would be back. My manager would let him back in. One day I stormed into my manager's office demanding to know why he was back in, again. She told me something that has stuck with me ever since. She said, Josh, how do you know this last chance we're giving him isn't the last chance he needs to get his life on track. Last I heard this young man is doing well, sober, a productive member of society, so to speak. He has a family and ended up going back to school. What would have become of him had I gotten my way back then? Would he be dead or locked up like so many others? Like I should be? Sometimes we need to protect ourselves by setting boundaries and sticking to them, but sometimes people need just need someone to have faith in them before they can have faith in themselves. I am so grateful for those that saw something in me when I couldn't see it myself. I'm here today because people believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. Miigwetch #ojibwaysocialworker #socialworkdad #tattoosandsocialwork #ryersonstudent #indigenousknowledgeinformedsocialworkpraxisandpedagogy #indigenize #decolonize #trysomethingdifferent #holistichealing #firstnations #mentalhealthandaddictions #lovespeaks (at Toronto, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpzrRy6HckX/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1h7fx7ncn5bvf

Had a good meeting with staff at Downsview Library this afternoon. Hoping to do some community based programming out of that location focusing on boys empowerment, much like our already established girls empowerment program running out of the TDSB. Luckily, we have received some funding to actually carry out such a deeply needed program. The aim is to engage in the development of this program from a bottom up approach with the stakeholders or target group largely creating the program based on their own needs within their own community's context. Outside of particular led programming we hope to address issues such as consent, the meaning of masculinity, bullying/cyber bullying, relationships, healthy boundaries, assertiveness, leadership skills, body image and self-esteem etc. #thepeerproject #youthhub #youthwork #youthassistingyouth #ryersonstudent #ryersonsocialwork #socialwork #socialservices #frontline #indigenousknowledgeinformedsocialworkpraxisandpedagogy #indigenousmethodology #indigenization #indigenous #ojibwaysocialworker #firstnations #cree #outreach #networking #buildingcommunity #fosteringunity #egaltarian #holisticapproaches https://www.instagram.com/p/BoNMC7GHRUa/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=vk4hwdhjapon