I think that I will skip this question (after all) given that my first experience with A Home Within was many years ago when Home Within was under different leadership. There were some problems with the referral I received such that the youth did not meet the criteria to participate in the Program.

A Home Within is an organization with an incredible mission whose staff make a very thoughtful and personal effort to recognize and appreciate the volunteers’ contributions in many ways. I feel very supported in my position as a volunteer therapist which enables me to hold and support my A Home Within client.

I would like to see A Home Within expand the support available to former foster care youth (those who have aged out) beyond the core foundation of a one on one therapeutic relationship between a client and therapist. This could include a group psychotherapy component for former foster care youth that could augment the dyadic work of the client and the therapist.

I think that the biweekly A Home Within case consultation group has been very core to my ability to persevere and thoughtfully navigate the more challenging periods in my A Home Within case. The case consultation group is extremely supportive and challenges me to think differently, expansively and from a more trauma-informed lens around my A Home Within case.

I served in the role of a CASA to a child at an earlier period in my life and in the past 5 years I have been a foster parent to several youth. I am currently fostering an adolescent refugee and am learning a great deal from this experience. Each of these experiences have challenged me to grow in different ways.