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Describing this time in our lives has become such a difficult task. There are moments where I consider it nothing short of surreal; even months in I can’t quite wrap my head around it. There are other times I find it calming, the expectations softened, the world enjoying a slower pace of life. I struggle between feeling guilty about what I should and should not be doing with all of this free space and then again I remember to have grace for myself and others as we navigate the unknown; now is not a time to be shameful or judgmental. I can experience these things within the stretch of day and it can be overwhelming to recognize all of these little significant pieces of myself and know how to respond to them. I say this because any time I feel that the chaos is about to wash over me and I fear being pulled under I am always able to find my peace again, that safe place that is good and grounding. But then I am also reminded that I am an adult, and a counsellor who is somewhat adept at responding to these needs and I think about our students. I worry that they are also going through the tidal wave of emotions and not knowing how to cope, not being able to find their safe place. A student said to me not long ago in a phone conversation that Homework Club is where he goes and what he does. He never had to question that because it was just part of his routine and there was comfort in the consistency. I think all of us are feeling the loss of little moments that used to make up our days and weeks like this. Things that were steadfast, trustworthy and good. I like to imagine that most of us during this time have taken at least a second to consider being more present in the future and enjoying what is happening right in front of us. I had such an experience not long ago when I stopped in at Britannia and visited the Homework Club workspace. It was rather eerie to be in this silent and empty room that is usually filled with so much laughter and goodness. I could imagine where each little group sits, backpacks slung over the backs of chairs while their heads are huddled together collectively working on an assignment. Snacks being divvied up between friends and the eager anticipation of what will be served for dinner and which table will be chosen to eat first. There is always a new, shy student at the entrance being coaxed by a friend to join the festivities and a slew of tutors eager to invite them in. The space is never anything short of jubilant. I am so hopeful that we can go back to experiencing those times together, to share in that comfort, for our lives to find that familiar rhythm again, but I am also wanting to believe we will do it with a little more presence and gratitude to these little moments we hold so dear.
~ Kaitlee Simonson
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This year was my first time hosting a holiday party for the Homework Club students as a new co-facilitator. I admit to being a little nervous about what the night would bring, but it was nothing short of absolutely wonderful. The kids were so excited to be there, to spend time with one another, to be celebrated. I think it was so important that their efforts and determination be acknowledged with praise, good company, great food and endless treats.
One moment throughout a night of many wondrous happenings was with the tutors. We wanted to be sure to thank them and their tireless efforts and in the midst of singing their praises the students responded with hooting, hollering and clapping that went on quite endlessly. I thought it was such a pure testament to the extraordinary impact these tutors have had on our kid’s lives. It made me momentarily reflect on how many times I had seen kids run to set up the chess board because they were determined to beat the pre-med tutor this week or share some inside joke with one of them, how many times our kids have smiled shyly when being greeted or praised or even just casually acknowledged as someone worth noticing. It spoke to the significance of what it means to these kids when a tutor will patiently sit for hours working on something little or remember to ask about a big test that another kid was feeling anxious about. We see these moments as inconceivably small and unremarkable but to young minds who have perhaps never been seen as smart or worthy or capable it has an incredible effect. The endless clapping was not just a simple thank you, but a means of gratitude for letting them be seen, heard and understood. ~ Kaitlee Simonson On Monday night, the Homework Club participants held their annual Winter Holiday party and it was a great success! Laughs and stories were shared over good food and gift exchanges. Check out the big smiles in the photos below! The Homework Club would like to thank all their participants, staff, volunteers and donors, and wish them all a very happy holiday season and a 2020 that brings joy and great learning to all. When I took on Homework Club, the primary incentive was because our kids deserved a familiar and structured place to work, learn, play and eat; this program has become an essential part of their lives and I knew we needed to maintain it for their sake. But in the hustle and bustle of getting it up and running again, learning all of the ins and outs and just trying to keep our heads above water, I didn’t stop to consider the impact it would have on me, as an educator and a human being.
As a counsellor at Britannia, I have a specific caseload that I work on, about 150 students, who I try very hard to maintain connections with. Because of the social-emotional demands of this work, we are often not able to spend time with students beyond that purview. The highlights of a caseload mean that I know exactly who to support and how, but the downfalls are that I often don’t get to experience so many other fascinating personalities and passionate youth at our school – Homework Club has created that opportunity for me. It has been such a joy to be able to walk down the hallways and say hello to so many more students, to check-in on them about that test they were studying for, to have them wave at me when I come to visit their teacher. I have loved getting to learn about them not just at students, but human beings themselves who love video games, can’t live without Siracha on everything, and are determined to beat our tutors in chess by the end of 2019. They are thoughtful young people who are curious about you and getting to know themselves better and commit to the value of connection every single time they walk through the door at Homework Club. It’s a true blessing to spend time with them and discover more of who they are and who they want to become. ~ Kaitlee Simonson My first few weeks of Homework Club were such a whirlwind of trying to keep up, stay organized, find this folder, put that away and remember lots of little details that make this place run smoothly. In the last few sessions, I have been able to spend more time observing the students and in those little moments of watching them work, share a meal or complete an assignment I discovered what this space represents – for many of them it is the purest definition of home.
This program is a space where they are always welcome, where they are greeted with excitement or anticipation by tutors who want to hear all about their day. Homework Club is a place where they know where everything is, they have a favorite spot to sit, its comfortable and familiar and sometimes I swear I can see them heave a sigh of relief when they enter this space. They are no longer anonymously wandering the halls or feeling ignored; in this program they are seen and heard and understood. And at the end of the day isn’t that what all of us are searching for? What a blessing that we can collaborate to create a space where this happens for young people. ~ Katie Simonson Last school year we had a new Grade 10 student come to Britannia. She was one of those students I sometimes refer to as a “full-time job” in that she required a lot of time and attention. Almost right off the bat she was being kicked out of classes or leaving, skipping and barely completing any work. I was practically at my wits end.
I kept referring her to Homework Club and even attempted to mandate her to attend, but she told me outright that she would never set foot in that program. I was not deterred. Upon returning this year, once Natalie and I took over directorship, I approached the topic again. It was an absolute no. Fortunately for me, we were spending a lot of time together as she was not jiving with her teachers so I had ample opportunity to casually mention “hey, did you know we do a hot dinner at Homework Club?” or “hey, why don’t you just come by for half an hour one day.” I never pushed but just always left the invitation on the table. Finally, she came by one day and stayed a total of 30 seconds, waved a hello at me and left, but it felt like progress had been made. The second time she made herself a sandwich and asked about printing. This was good! The third time she stayed until the very end, working away, and I don’t think I have ever seen more of a look of accomplishment on a student’s face. She said to me, in awe of herself, “Ms. Simonson I am actually getting so much work done here.” It was so lovely to be witness to a student finding a space that allowed her to complete tasks, but more importantly one in which she felt comfortable and welcome. ~ Katie Simonson With the generous support of our friends at Coast Capital Savings, we were able to take 13 youth to the beautiful Fraser Valley for our 4th annual YEP! Spring Break retreat. The Youth Engagement Project – or YEP! to us – provides social/emotional, academic and financial support to seriously at-risk students in the inner-city. Often these students have had precarious relationships with schools and schooling, having fallen through the many cracks in the current education system, and they have struggled to find a way back in. What we offer is support in finding their way back in, and more importantly, in staying in. We create strong, healthy relationships with the students and their families, and work to develop a culture of achievement in the face of obstacles. Students commit to attending all of their classes, as well as Homework Club in the afternoons, and we commit to support their success by providing tutors for their academic needs, youth workers who understand their problems, opportunities to mentor and be mentored, and of course, our annual YEP! camp during Spring Break. This year, all but one were seasoned campers so the trip was a breeze! As soon as we arrived, they began moving furniture assigning beds, taking charge while we – the adults – sat back and wondered, “who are these kids”? We couldn’t help but think back to that first YEP! camp with 12 frightened city kids who had no idea what a fern was, let alone what to expect from their first camp experience. Those kids were frightened, confrontational, and stunned that we expected them to “go play outside”, but this bunch, the 2017 bunch, were taking charge because they couldn’t wait to get outside! They willingly unplugged their phones, in favour of Capture the Flag (in the dark), a trip to Harrison Hot Springs and a visit to Chilliwack’s Pioneer Village. At Anita’s Organic Mill, they debated which flours would make the best dessert, and held a very civilized vote to determine whether crepes, crumbles or pies would be on the menu that night. Crepes and crumbles won, but only because we couldn’t find a pie plate. For us the experience is moving every time, but this year was something special. We were realizing a vision we had all those years ago, when we imagined that a few days in the country could make a difference to a group of young people who live precarious lives in Vancouver’s inner-city. Over the years, we have heard that the promise of camp helps them to stay motivated and keep them focused, it also provides them a much needed break from family responsibilities and the stress of urban life – a retreat in every sense of the word. We’re posting some pictures here – enjoy!  Homework Club is hiring a Youth Engagement Worker!
(Closing Date August 24, 2015) Program Overview The primary goal of Homework Club is to enhance the educational success of youth living in the Downtown Eastside, Strathcona and Grandview-Woodlands communities. It seeks to address barriers to success in high school by providing youth with social, academic, financial and advocacy supports. Homework Club is one element of the community-driven Our Place Graduation Strategy, a place-based approach to improving the educational success of children and youth living in the inner-city. The Strategy has brought together partners from the health, education, and social services sector, working collaboratively “to provide the necessary supports and services to children and families in order to ensure that the child will graduate from high school”. The Youth Engagement Project (YEP!) is entering its fourth year of advocacy and academic support of seriously at-risk students. Position Summary The Youth Engagement Worker is responsible for providing 1-to-1 case management support to help youth succeed both academically and socially. This position involves outreach in homes, schools, and communities, as well as liaising with family members and school and community staff to support the educational needs of youth. In addition, youth engagement workers will facilitate after-school tutoring programming at Britannia Secondary and program monthly mentoring activities. The successful candidate will be dynamic, skilled and experienced connecting with diverse communities, including Aboriginal, newcomer and LGBTQ youth to ensure they feel safe, supported and connected. This position reports to the Executive Director of the Vancouver Homework Club Society. Responsibilities 1. Develop supportive and engaging relationships with youth
Send Resume and Cover Letter to: Kim Leary, Vancouver Homework Club, kim@homework-club.org Please reference “Homework Club – Youth Engagement Worker” in all correspondence. We thank you for your interest, however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. The sunny weather reminds us that the school year is drawing to an end, and with that out thoughts turn to planning for next years’ group of students. Will we be able to create the same magic we have created this year? How will we fund this magic, year after year? Our answer lies with our Heroes; those people and organizations who have supported us every year with donations big and small. They are reason we are able to make the magic that is Homework Club – and we mean magic. Where else would you find a group of 40 or more high school students happily engaged in doing homework, three nights a week? Where else would students from all age groups, grades and ability levels come together as a single group, united in a common purpose? You remember high school – this just doesn’t happen! Where else would 18 formerly failing, completely disengaged students be found night after night, plotting their path from failure to high school graduation, and post-secondary education? Magic is the only way to describe it, and heroes are the only way to get it done! Would you like to be a Homework Club Hero? A monthly donation of $25 is all it takes. Your contribution, joined with the contribution of 333 other heroes, will make certain that we are able to provide our own special brand of magic, year after year, to the students we serve and who so richly deserve it!  We’re just back from our third annual YEP! Spring Break retreat. The Youth Engagement Project – or YEP! to us – provides social/emotional, academic and financial support to seriously at-risk students in the inner-city. Often these students have had precarious relationships with schools and schooling, having fallen through the many cracks in the current education system, and they have struggled to find a way back in. What we offer is support in finding their way back in, and more importantly, in staying in. We create strong, healthy relationships with the students and their families, and work to develop a culture of achievement in the face of obstacles. Students commit to attending all of their classes, as well as Homework Club in the afternoons, and we commit to support their success by providing tutors for their academic needs, youth workers who understand their problems, opportunities to mentor and be mentored, and of course, our annual YEP! camp during Spring Break. This is our third year at it, and the results are dramatic. The first year, students were reluctant to attend. Many had never been out of the inner-city, and were fearful of what the experience might be. The week after our first trip, they were already asking if we would go again next year. This year, in September, the “old-timers” were filling the heads of the “newbies” with stories from camp, and the anticipation was high. We had nearly 100% attendance. Students spent three days hiking, fishing, hot-tubbing, geocaching and hanging out with friends on the banks of the beautiful Chilliwack River. It is a chance to recharge after two terms of school, and to make plans for how to conquer the third. It is a chance to learn chess for the first time, or finally figure out latitude and longitude, to eat healthy meals, to unplug from technology, to build their first campfire. To be kids on a sunny day in the woods For us the experience is moving every time. We see the students soften and relax as they make meals together, sharing themselves along with their favourite dishes. We see them collaborate on chores, or in games, and learn more and more of their histories, their lives, and their strengths. They are resilient group and we are always in awe.  |
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