Once a Pathfinder, always a Pathfinder
Testimonies
Mariam
“When I joined Pathfinder I was just a girl who wanted to find her purpose - today I am a woman who has realized her potential”
Jessy
“Not only did they help me find work, they’ve also been there for me during really hard moments”
“You and your team helped me discover my passion for helping others and I was given an educational direction to follow when Katherine told me about the Youth Justice Program at Douglas College that she had taken. Before participating in the program, I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career. Because of the help from the Pathfinder team, I made it into the Youth Justice Program in the fall of 2018 and now, three years later because of the pandemic, I have graduated and finally received my diploma!
I have been employed for the past 9-10 months as auxiliary staff and I now have a potential opportunity to become a full time employee with them because I have graduated! I have been working an emergency group home for youth where they stay for approximately eight weeks while we stabilize them and while their social worker finds them a more permanent placement that fits their specific needs.
I love what I’m doing now and I’ve been very successful in developing positive, professional relationships with the youth that I work with. While talking with the youth, they often feel comfortable enough to open up to me and voice their thoughts and feelings. I have been able to put my education to practical use by letting them guide the conversation and in how I engage with them to show that I am actively listening and that I care. A lot of these kids just want to be heard and I am more than willing to listen. My experience working with youth thus far has been very rewarding and fulfilling!”
— Jordan J
Being in the Pathfinder program really helped me from a difficult spot where I was trying to figure out what to do with my life. It’s an amazing program as they help people in the community and I personally believe the best way to help people stay off the streets from homelessness is by helping them at the core moment of helping any one find a job. Not having a job also effects one’s mental health as they might not be in the best spot. I sure wasn’t and I felt like I was going in the right direction as I wasn’t there mentally until PYCS helped me, they got me a job at Starbucks and being with Starbucks’s helped me with every way when it comes to communicating with people, and communication is a skill earned. That same communication skill that helped me get my job at Starbucks, helped me be recognizably the best employee from a certificate. That same communication skill that helped me have a key holder and sales merchandiser position in Reddhart Workwear today. Selling boots, and being a salesman was not my thing but dealing with people is and making them my best friend is, which is the reason why I got my position.
Pathfinders did not give me a dream career, but they gave me a path. Today, I am going to school for being a paramedic since my love and empathy to help people expanded so much. I am also volunteering to help homeless people and drug addicts on the street by giving them food and naloxone. What pathfinder does is amazing because they prevent that sort of things from happening, even when I was volunteering yesterday, I was thinking about how grateful I am that such an amazing program exists because what I do and what pathfinder does is no different.
- Nassif R
Two years ago, I was not only jobless but was also facing rising insecurities due to never having a job before. I was 20 years old. The lack of confidence in myself and my abilities to integrate myself into a workplace was my major barrier to achieve employment. The Pathfinder Youth Centre Society helped me to discover and believe in my strengths while providing job skills training and certification. This led me to applying to various jobs and being employed by Elements Casino Surrey, where I have been working ever since along with another PYCS graduate.
When I applied to college months later and needed letters of reference, Pathfinder was there to help me again and I received the most thoughtful and sincere letter from them. I am proud to say that I am now a working college student, something I previously thought was not achievable. There are so many youth who are in the position I was in 2 years ago, many of whom are facing larger barriers and have more to overcome than I ever did. I was fortunate to be able to focus and do well in school without having to obtain a job to provide for myself or my family, however, I predict that is not the case for most youth.
Pathfinder Youth Centre Society benefits a variety of people who face a variety of challenges; single parents, struggling youth, the inexperienced, foreign language speakers and beyond. Although I have not visited the centre lately, I will never forget their impact on my self-esteem, and I will be forever grateful to PYCS for supporting me in finding my path. They will always have a special spot in my heart, and I know they can inspire many others. Thank you.
— Skye W