To better understand how your support of the Kinark Foundation makes a positive impact in the lives of young people with mental health problems, we want you to hear from the children, youth and parents themselves. Please review their stories and comments below. They are the real inspiration behind our work.
About Tina and Rachel
Imagine how you would feel if you and your spouse could not deal with your teen's angry and difficult behaviour. Imagine if your child found home and family life too stressful to be a part of. Now, imagine if your child did not return home from school one day. For one family, this distressing event was a reality and the catalyst for seeking help from Kinark Child and Family Services.
Through the Cope for Teens program, Tina and her husband were able to learn ways to more effectively communicate and to deal with their daughter Rachel's negative behaviours. Further group counseling services and the support of their Kinark caseworker helped all family members to grow and learn in positive ways. Most importantly, as Tina notes, Rachel began to learn to take care of herself and control her anger. "She is doing much better; she has a job and goals now."
Tina continues: "The services and programs Kinark offers are unique and provide the right expertise and knowledge to effectively help those who desperately need knowledge and support. I always recommend Kinark, especially if it is going to help a family stay together -- which, in the end, is the most important thing for everyone."
But there is still more to be done. Like many parents of children with mental health issues, Tina and her husband find it difficult to gain support from the outside world, due to what they see as a lack of understanding. As a result of bullying, Rachel has left high school. Her mother hopes that with time and with support from Kinark and the school system, Rachel may return to school and graduate.
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About Grace and Jacob
After eight frustrating years unsuccessfully seeking help for their son's violent behaviour, Grace and her husband finally contacted Kinark Child and Family Services. Following initial support through the agency's Family First program, the family was connected with a caseworker who was able to coordinate the provision of services that were geared to the needs of their son, Jacob, as well as the rest of the family. Grace says that Kinark's Special Friends program has been especially valuable in helping Jacob:
"Special Friends has been crucial to Jacob's social development. He now does things he would not have done previously. His Special Friend can help support him in a way that no one else can."
Grace and her husband have also found that connecting with other parents through Kinark's programs has been of ongoing benefit:
"Being actively involved in the Parents Advisory Council and a Parent to Parent group has given us the support we need to help our family pull through the tough times."
Grace knows that life will always throw challenges their way, but with their newfound knowledge and confidence, she and her husband are better prepared to help Jacob reach his full potential.
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About Cindy and Mason
Cindy and her son, Mason, connected with Kinark Child and Family Services at the recommendation of Mason's school, which had difficulty supporting his special needs. A child with high functioning autism, Mason was not experiencing any difficulty at home. However, he became frustrated at school due to his challenges in verbally articulating his wants and needs in ways that were understood in that environment. Mason's frustration led to disruptive behaviours at school.
Once in service with Kinark, Mason embarked on a positive new learning experience, participating in a day treatment program. With the support of his new teachers, Mason was able to develop a greater understanding of his own unique characteristics, and improve his ability to cope with various situations. Cindy notes: "He has learned to control his anger when he gets frustrated. He has enjoyed his time in the Kinark program. As a family, this program helped us understand what Mason needs in order to succeed in school." Now, Mason likes school much better than before. In fact, says mom, "He is excelling in it."
As important as the program was for Mason, Cindy explains that the Kinark caseworker was of particular value to her as a parent. "She was someone there to talk to and to provide support. She was understanding and non-judgmental and, most importantly, she gave us information on different ways of getting support."
"This program is great because it is helping children with issues that would not necessarily get help otherwise."
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About Gloria and David
Gloria is a single mom who was looking for support and strategies to handle her son David's behavioural problems which were having a significant impact on his school and home life, and also on David's younger brother. Gloria is very pleased with the outcome of the multifaceted support provided by Kinark, which gave herself, her two children, as well as their father, valuable individual and group-based support.
Once enrolled in Kinark's services, David and his family were assigned a caseworker, an in-home counselor, and a one-on-one counselor for David. As a family, they also participated in group programs together and practiced implementing what they learned.
Mom notes the valuable role that Kinark's caseworker played for her and her family:
"The caseworker was able to help me connect with my son's school and our community, which gave me peace of mind. The counselor gave us the opportunity to sit down together as a family to talk about what was going on in our lives and learn how to handle situations better next time."
As for David's future, Gloria stays positive, while acknowledging that he may always struggle with keeping his anger under control. "He is very bright and does well socially. I believe that he will be able to figure it out and succeed in life."
As for her younger son, who was also able to access support from Kinark, "He is really blossoming. Before, he was not able to grow as a person because of the focus on his older brother. Now that the pressure is off, he is growing into such a strong person."
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Parent Comments:
"I was very happy with the outcome of participating in the counseling program. My child is doing much better, and I know Kinark will be there for us if things go south again."
"My son is a happier person and able to handle challenging situations where he could not before."
"It helped the conflict in our home subside; and there was a lot of information to help me, as a single mom, cope with the pressures. I don't know where I'd be without Kinark's help."
"Your services gave me hope, encouragement and a new outlook. I know I'm not alone. THANK YOU."
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Youth Comments:
"Tony, my Special Friend, is my buddy, my role model. We do outdoor activities - soccer, basketball, swimming. I can talk to him about my problems. If I'm having problems at school or I need help with something, he's always there for me."
(David, aged 10)
"My relationship with my Special Friend is almost like a sister. I'm going to miss our long talks when I go off to college. I appreciate her being in my life and always knowing just what to say to cheer me up."
(Madeline, aged 17)
"My counselor is always there for me. I know I can talk to her about things that are going on in my life. I can trust her and I can count on her."
(Sarah, aged 12)
"Being in this program has really helped me. I know how to deal with my anger and make better choices to get along better with my sister and my mum."
(Jamal, aged 14)
"It's hard, you know. People don't always understand what's going on with me. At least here, I can be myself."
(Tara, aged 16)
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