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Get Me Out of Here…
I couldn’t tell for sure if she needed help so I tried to make eye contact with. She approached me and looked into my outreach bag,...
Nov 20, 2015
A Presence on the Streets
Not long ago, one of our outreach teams was doing late night outreach. It was about 10:30pm when they entered the market area. Across the...
Sep 10, 2015
A Chance Meeting
When I meet a youth on outreach for the first time, I am always aware that it may be the only time I ever see them. The lives of...
May 27, 2015
Navigating the Systems
Dana Youth Outreach Worker #Addictions #MentalHealth #StreetYouth #streetyouthoutreach
Apr 16, 2015
Shane’s Story, Episode 6: The System – Welfare
Shane’s Story is an eight episode blog post where Shane tells her story in her own words. Each week in December, on Mondays and...
Dec 18, 2014
Shane’s Story, Episode 5: My Own Place
Shane’s Story is a eight episode blog post where Shane tells her story in her own words. Each week in December, on Mondays and Thursdays...
Dec 15, 2014
Shane’s Story, Episode 2: School
Shane’s Story is an eight episode blog post where Shane tells her story in her own words. Each week in December, on Mondays and...
Dec 4, 2014
Shane’s Story, Episode 1: Early Life
Shane’s Story is an eight episode blog post where Shane tells her story in her own words. Each week in December, on Mondays and...
Dec 1, 2014
Remembering Homeless Veterans
People hurry by the large monument every day, most never pausing to look or even acknowledge it. One lonely man, white haired, in torn...
Nov 11, 2014
What a difference a year makes….
Eva left home in her early teens. Eventually, she became homeless and addicted to drugs. As a young woman on the streets, she was quite...
Oct 2, 2014
Sam’s Story
Sam is a street artist who I met several years ago. He created the beautiful work of art above. I asked him  to do a wood burning...
Aug 4, 2014
Caution: P4Y Poetry
The Passion 4 Youth Fine Arts Program was fortunate enough to have Bruce Narbaitz come in and do a slam poetry workshop with the youth....
Jul 17, 2014
Aakuluk
When I approach an Aboriginal person while on outreach, I suddenly become very aware of the cross embroidered on my outreach vest. The...
Jun 19, 2014
Choosing Compassion
Last week however, one of the youth was in a crisis situation so I made the decision to call 911. Two officers arrived and assessed the...
Jun 6, 2014
No compassion or care for the mentally ill at the Ottawa Hospital
I have known Skye for 3 years. She was one of the first street-engaged youth I met while doing outreach. I remember our first meeting...
May 23, 2014
Volunteer Perspective
Getting up for 5:30 am isn’t very enjoyable to me but then I get thinking about our street friends in Ottawa. They have already started...
Apr 17, 2014
Rideau Street, downtown Ottawa…
We didn’t get her name: it wasn’t offered and it was too early to ask. Maybe she was seventeen, but the hard life on the streets made...
Apr 14, 2014
The Hidden Homeless
Hidden Homeless: People who are temporarily crashing with friends, relatives or others because they have no where else to go. I have been...
Apr 4, 2014
Housing in Ottawa: What we don’t see…
When Laura arrived at art group, she was excited to share her good news–she got her own apartment! After a year or so of couch hopping,...
Mar 28, 2014
Ottawa Home and Garden Show. Why?
OIM has been given a booth at the Ottawa Home and Garden Show, March 20 to 23 at the Ernst and Young Centre. Why? A friend of the...
Mar 18, 2014
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