Let’s get one thing straight our Philosophy is “ Homelessness is the absence of Hope” Not the absence of a home….
Many believe that we provide just housing but housing is just a tool for the big picture. We know that it is hard to find hope when there is no peace. Housing is a tool for comfort and clarity that then transcends into peace. But let’s remember, peace doesn’t last forever in the minds that are used to trauma. In order to change the path for our youth, we must look at housing as the tool to hope. In order to create hope we have to transform the mental state to a vision that aligns with a purpose that creates an Identity.
About 90% of our youth exiting the foster care system struggle with Identity. Just imagine being born into a world and the main people you believe would accept and love you give you away. Many of the youth I work with, have never seen their parents nor do they have a family they can call family. From a mental state the words they repeat in their head about 10 -20 times a day is
“ No one cares” This statement is really saying “no one loves me enough to care” The trauma of their parents leaving them and never knowing what it means to have a family has left them with this statement that they have now agreed to that leaves them purposeless. As their hope demises so does the environment around them. Their lifestyle begins to reflect what they believe about themself. If no one cares, why should I care about myself? Within 10 -15 years these are the people you see on the street fully intoxicated, with urine and feces on their clothing living in a makeshift encampment. What use to be a child struggling with identity deprived from hope and vision by the statements playing in their head, is now and fully grow adult labeled as a homeless person.
Our philosophy is if we can plant the seed of “Hope” early enough we can end the cycle of hopelessness. The way we plant the seed is first to reinvent one identity. He following steps are our approach.
- Identifying the Super Power Within:
- This is the process of transforming the story. Instead only looking at the pain as pain but rather looking at their pain as gain. What are some character traits they have gained from their experience and how can they use that to benefit them.
- Find The Villain:
- Every superhero has to have a villain. Using their super power as a tool for passion. How can they express their experience in an artistic way that might help others that are fighting this villain. Working in a field that also supports your vision. Remember passion is always hiding in the pain.
- Practice Your Powers:
- In order to change the narrative in our minds we have to start experiencing a new story. Within our program we go hard on investing in our youth to re- create their story. We give them many opportunities to practice this new power they have discovered by job placements that cater to their passion. Creating a music/art studio to express their powers in an artistic way. We also bring in speakers from similar backgrounds to speak about how they transferred their powers. We build a community of Hope which gives no room for loss of identity.
So the next time someone ask you what foundation you support? Dont just say “ a program that provides housing for youth aging out of foster care”
Say “A program that uses housing as a tool to discover and applying the superpowers of our youth exiting out of foster care.
If they want to know how to send them this article. 🙂
