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The Story of Joe and Fernie Works

by | Jun 14, 2016

Joe is one of thousands of young people who have entered Fernie Youth Services. As a subject of the Youth Justice System, Joe had his life turned upside down. Upon leaving the system he returned back to a life surrounded by negative influencers. Without positive guidance, Joe would never be able to escape the life that led him into the Youth Justice System the first time.

By connecting with Joe’s Probation Officer, Fernie Youth entered his life. Joe was ready to get back on track, and Fernie Youth was ready to help him. As Joe uttered the words ‘I want to try’, he was greeted with all the tools and connections needed to help him develop through his teenage years and become a respectable, honest, young man.

However, the story does not end here for Joe.

Imagine yourself at 18 years old. Were you ready for life? Did you have every asset necessary to buy a home, own a car, or have the job you want? Full rehabilitation is not just navigating Joe and his peers through their teenage years; that is only half of the process. The other half is seeing Joe enter the workplace and make a real contribution to society. It is seeing Joe apply the skills and traits that Fernie Youth has taught him.

Fernie Works is a program designed to get 18-27 year-olds like Joe into the workplace, providing them with jobs such as landscaping and building maintenance. From this program, Joe and his peers will learn valuable workplace skills that are the cornerstone of a rewarding career. He will be provided with resources, counseling, a job, and shelter; all of which will turn Joe into the man he strives to be. The cost of welfare, prison, and specialized treatment for a year can be well over $130,000, all of which can be avoided by enrollment in the Fernie Works program.

So you may be asking yourself, how do I fit into all of this? The answer is simple; by becoming a supporter. A small monetary donation can mean the difference between Joe becoming a valued member of society in a rewarding career or potentially ending up back where he was before he joined the Fernie Youth system. As little as $1 can put us one step closer to securing another young adult into the program. Beyond monetary donations, our program participants are constantly craving mentorship; having someone to aspire to be. Mentorships can be as little as attending a Fernie ran barbeque, but could mean the world to one of our participants. If you would like to see how you can get involved, please don’t hesitate to contact us at 416-284-3711.

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