Our stories

Raymond*, an upbeat 14-year-old boy, and his twin sisters, Megan* and Alix*, 17, have been through some tough times but are working hard to get things back on track with the support of SFK Mentoring.

The siblings, like most teenagers, enjoy teasing and joking around together. Together, they have been through a lot of change this year; they returned to the care of their mother, moved house, and are working to reconnect as a family.

After the move, Raymond was having a hard time making it to school every day. His school was a 40-minute commute away in his old neighbourhood, and he was struggling with the enrollment process at his new local school.

For months, Raymond had persevered and made the long trip every day, but it was becoming hard for him to stay motivated.

When Raymond’s mentor came on board, she could see immediately that he needed to be able to attend his local high school and set about helping with the enrollment process. No small task!

Practical support like this is needed in many households that have faced family separation and upheaval, such as Raymond’s.

Since then, Raymond and his mentor have been tackling many goals together, like working on emotional regulation and improving his relationships. Having a mentor to talk to and help him has made a big difference.

Since then, Raymond and his mentor have been tackling many goals together … Having a mentor to talk to and help him has made a big difference.

Raymond’s SFK mentor has also started helping his sisters, Megan and Alix, who joined the program this year.

Both girls have experience working in child care but needed a hand getting employment because they were missing vital documents.

With their mentor’s support, the twins have been able to create tax file numbers, get birth certificates and update their CVs.

And wins have come their way! Megan was offered a role at a clothes shop at a job fair her mentor took her to, and Alix recently got her learner diver’s licence!

Mostly, the twins now have someone to talk to about the steps they need to take to accomplish their plans for the future.

Even though they’re still dealing with housing challenges, the family is sticking together and doing their best.

Their mentor shared that she’s been so happy to see the siblings taking on techniques for resolving problems, “Recently, I’ve noticed that they’ll talk their problems through instead of fighting.

“I used to step in to help when there was a disagreement, but it’s been really nice to see the family coming together and talking about issues of their own accord.”

In the face of difficulties, Raymond, Megan, and Alix show that with a bit of support, families can come together and make progress, no matter what life throws their way.

*Names & images changed to protect participant identity

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