Thursday, April 14, 2016

One YBR Outreach Specialist Says Goodbye to Yellow Brick Road

Tonight was my last night of outreach with YBR. Tomorrow I move into a new phase of my career, changing my role from street outreach specialist to access center worker.
I spent this last year seeking out youth to tell them about resources and where they could get screened in for services. Now, I'll be screening them for the services I once referred them too.
It's weird to think that I can say I've worked for my dream job. The whole reason I went to school was to come back and work for YBR. If you know me, you've heard me talk of it. It feels weird to say that this thing in my life that I love so much, and in so many ways has helped me grow as a human, will now be behind me, at least for a time.

It wasn't always easy. I saw children making homes under rocks, people wandering with no shoes, and a population that is routinely judged more for merely trying to survive. I saw those same people give their last dollar to someone else in need, bless passersby who didn't acknowledge their existence, and form families from nothing other than a common bond of struggle. I've witnessed first hand the amazing spirit of human resilience, and it's contagious.
If you'd like to gain new perspective, and learn to love more genuinely, if you want to make raw difference, I encourage you to volunteer for YBR. One night a week, for six months. I promise it will change your life.

-Bettina, Former Street Outreach Specialist

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