In my service position, I see youth walk into our drop-in center every day in need of immediate help, but when they walk out the door, I have no idea what happens to them next. I can give these individuals every pamphlet in the world, but I cannot control what they do with those resources. Every choice afterwards is in their hands. Kids do not think long term. They do not think to come back to the drop-in center and tell me whether or not they have landed on their feet, so no matter what I do to help a kid, I may never know if it is enough. In the first month of my service, I let this feeling of uncertainty consume me. My experience was filled with question marks, and I was unsure I would manage to get over it.
Then, last week, while standing in line at a local electronics store, it happened. My eyes wandered over to the technical support desk, and standing behind the counter was a former client of mine. This young man had come into our drop-in center for youth experiencing homeless at the beginning of my service term. His parents had kicked him out of his house weeks before, and he was completely out of money. Together, he and I spent hours on the phone with a number of housing resources. First, we called the central line. Then, we called each shelter individually. Lastly, we hunted for bus tickets so he could actually make it to the shelters. It was an exhausting process, and it had clearly worn him out. When he left, he assured me he would come back the next day to follow up with me, but he never did. Now here he was, right in front of me, with a new job and a huge smile on his face.
Needless to say, I was thrilled when I saw him at his new job. Although this client had done the work for himself, I was proud to say that I could share even a tiny piece of his success. This moment restored my sense of patience, reminding me to always have a little faith in myself, my clients, and the sometimes strenuous process of finding someone proper assistance. Though I may not have the privilege of witnessing a happy ending for clients every time, I can at least remember the success of this one client and know that I am making a true difference in the community around me.
