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Community: We are "NOT" all in this together The idea of "we are all in this together" is one that many have embraced during the pandemic. Although the idea is one of a collective "we" and a "common good" many racialized and marginalized youth in care have been unintentionally forgotten and left out, they are invisible. These learners are often not enrolled in school and have simply disappeared or fallen through the cracks. Youth in care often face multiple challenges where school and learning are simply not a priority and their traumas and experiences often play leading roles against access to education. Having a place of safety, a place to wash their clothes or even enough money to buy food takes precedent. How can those who are thrust to the sidelines even begin to negotiate the idea of a collective "we" or "community". Everyone has been effected differently by the pandemic and the notion that all learners are facing the same struggles is not true or realistic. Many children in care are facing insurmountable challenges that are magnified by isolation, lack of support, lack of advocacy and fragile systems that are overburdened and underfunded. The common good, community and collective we must be picked apart and examined to identify and recognize those who have become invisible and forgotten. | Support The support for youth in care at school is often too little for those suffering from trauma, isolation, lack of food, and housing. Ensuring every youth in care has access to wrap-around support is essential for youth in care to thrive amongst the chaos they often endure on a daily basis. Imagine feeling like you are alone, similar to this picture, maybe you have never been taught how to swim, maybe you have never been in an open body of water, maybe the distance seems never-ending. But what if you had someone there to encourage you. What if you had floaties or water wings! What if you knew that just beyond that rope, there were only 3 miles to shore and there was a boat waiting for you if you couldn't swim the whole way. What if you knew that the weather was going to change and the sun would warm the cold waters to make it easier to imagine success. | Systemic Barriers Systemic barriers are oftentimes invisible but further marginalize youth in care. Many times the barriers are insurmountable and youth who have had little support or faced trauma are unable to navigate these challenges alone. These youth learners need multiple means of support, time and understanding to reach their goals. The sign in the photograph depicts what can happen to youth in care. Many of us know that we could take a different path to reach to get to where we need to go. But, what if you didn't know where you were going. What if you had seen this sign before, and then again, and then again. What if this was the only sign you had ever seen. What if you had always been told you couldn't go any further. |
Community: We are "NOT" all in this together
The idea of "we are all in this together" is one that many have embraced during the pandemic. Although the idea is one of a collective "we" and a "common good" many racialized and marginalized youth in care have been unintentionally forgotten and left out, they are invisible. These learners are often not enrolled in school and have simply disappeared or fallen through the cracks. Youth in care often face multiple challenges where school and learning are simply not a priority and their traumas and experiences often play leading roles against access to education. Having a place of safety, a place to wash their clothes or even enough money to buy food takes precedent. How can those who are thrust to the sidelines even begin to negotiate the idea of a collective "we" or "community". Everyone has been effected differently by the pandemic and the notion that all learners are facing the same struggles is not true or realistic. Many children in care are facing insurmountable challenges that are magnified by isolation, lack of support, lack of advocacy and fragile systems that are overburdened and underfunded. The common good, community and collective we must be picked apart and examined to identify and recognize those who have become invisible and forgotten.
Support
The support for youth in care at school is often too little for those suffering from trauma, isolation, lack of food, and housing. Ensuring every youth in care has access to wrap-around support is essential for youth in care to thrive amongst the chaos they often endure on a daily basis. Imagine feeling like you are alone, similar to this picture, maybe you have never been taught how to swim, maybe you have never been in an open body of water, maybe the distance seems never-ending. But what if you had someone there to encourage you. What if you had floaties or water wings! What if you knew that just beyond that rope, there were only 3 miles to shore and there was a boat waiting for you if you couldn't swim the whole way. What if you knew that the weather was going to change and the sun would warm the cold waters to make it easier to imagine success.
Systemic Barriers
Systemic barriers are oftentimes invisible but further marginalize youth in care. Many times the barriers are insurmountable and youth who have had little support or faced trauma are unable to navigate these challenges alone. These youth learners need multiple means of support, time and understanding to reach their goals. The sign in the photograph depicts what can happen to youth in care. Many of us know that we could take a different path to reach to get to where we need to go. But, what if you didn't know where you were going. What if you had seen this sign before, and then again, and then again. What if this was the only sign you had ever seen. What if you had always been told you couldn't go any further.
