Aging out of care can leave local youth with many unanswered questions and much fear. But a new handbook due out in a few months aims to change that for Nova Scotia youth.
By Heather Milne <hmilne@dal.ca>
Posted: Jan. 16, 2007
Lucas Kreft has been in care since he was 5 years old.
Turning 19 is filled with promise for most teens. But for youth in the care of the province turning 19 most often means ‘aging out.’ It also means being totally responsible for their own needs. However, if a youth is enrolled full time in school they are able to stay in the care of the province until their 21st birthday.
Lucas Kreft just turned 21. He has now aged out of care and is forced to deal with a variety of issues on his own. He is not able to turn to his social worker or staff for help; he is essentially alone. He says, “One date, your 21st birthday you get kicked out. I don’t think it’s right.”
Being in the care of the province most often means living in either a group home or in the care of a foster family. Children and youth usually end up in care when their parents are not able to properly care for them.
Kreft has worked hard to make a life for himself in preparation for this day. He is in school working towards his goal of being a graphic designer. Kreft gained a full scholarship to complete his program.
Melissa Taylor is responsible for creating the guide.
Due to family circumstances Kreft has been in care since he was five years old. Most of his family is spread around the world with the exception of an aunt and cousin in Nova Scotia.
He says leading up to Jan. 13 he felt both prepared and unprepared. Being able to set goals is one thing that has helped him get ready for aging out, but at the same time he worries he will resort back to old destructive habits.
Not all youth in care have the same opportunities as Kreft. A majority age out at 19 and do not return to school. They are left without much of the knowledge they need to properly participate in society.
They are forced to face issues which that they are not familiar with. Issues like: health, education, employment and housing. This is where Melissa Taylor comes in. She was hired by the Children’s Aid Foundation to look at resources for youth aging out of care. Taylor has experience developing other projects for organizations like “Bike Again” through the Ecology Action Centre.
The project was funded by an anonymous donor through Children’s Aid Foundation in Toronto where it was recognized that Halifax youth who leave care don’t succeed very well. Due to the size of the city the resources for youth aging out of care are lacking, primarily because the number of youth that age out each year is far smaller than in bigger cities.
The guide deals with a wide range of issues and is due out in the next few months.
Taylor met with youth and discussed options like a drop-in centre, similar to one in Hamilton, Ont., but found it was not a popular option with Nova Scotia youth. Instead she has worked to develop a handbook for youth in care called “Surviving and Thriving in Halifax.” She says a big issue for youth who age out is loneliness.
Kreft agrees and says, “my whole life I’ve never been a regular teen. I’ve had problems and still continue to have problems…because loneliness is with you every day.”
Often youth are used to having others around in group and foster homes, but when they leave care they are forced to deal with things alone.
The youth guide is a resource with access to services youth may need when they leave care. It is also a tool through which they are able to see how other youth felt upon leaving care. One young man is quoted in the guide as saying, “I just want to live a happy and normal life. But I don’t know how.” This is a common fear for youth leaving care as they often fear it will be too easy to get caught up in bad habits.
Taylor says a guide like this is important because “it’s everything all in one guide. It’s information that sometimes you don’t necessarily know about the resources that are in the community, so this is geared toward youth at risk.”
Kreft says the guide will help other “youth who are in the same situation…it’s a source of information combined into one book and if a youth is looking for one thing they’ll get that information and may find something else that they don’t know about or might need help with and it’ll be in there.”
Kreft got word of a special gift this year. He now has a grant through the Children’s Aid Foundation, thanks to some work from his social worker. Kreft doesn’t have to worry too much on his 21st birthday.
The guide is expected to be available to youth in care within the next few months.