We All Have a Voice
“I never thought I’d have my own place,” said 19 year old Kaysie,“ August 2nd, 2010 is a day I will never ever forget.” This date marks Kaysie’s entry into Center For Family Services’ Camden DREAMS program; a long way from her start at the Center’s Together Youth Shelter.
At 14, Kaysie and her younger brothers and sisters were in need of a safe place to live. The siblings were placed in caring foster homes, with some eventually being adopted. Kaysie wasn’t adopted but instead moved home to home, in search of a stable living environment. “I learned so much from living with so many different people throughout my life,” says Kaysie, “everyone has a different way of living and it’s important to respect that.”
After several different foster placements, Kaysie found herself at Center For Family Services’ Together Youth Shelter, a temporary emergency shelter providing a safe place to live and a caring, healing home environment for runaways, homeless, abused, abandoned, or neglected youth.
“Since coming to CFS I have had a big attitude change. My whole perspective on life is different.”
Kaysie transitioned into the Center’s GrandSlam program, a structured transitional living program and supported apartments that provide transitional living assistance to homeless youth.
“It took a lot of getting use to living with all girls.” But slowly, with the help of a supportive staff , Kaysie became more focused. “It was nice just knowing that you had someone to turn to at GrandSlam,” said Kaysie. “Staff helped everyone get ready for prom, I learned to get along with people better, and I was given the opportunity to visit Washington, DC for Network for Good’s Homeless Youth Conference. I would have never been exposed to that if it wasn’t for CFS.
Kaysie’s graduation from the GrandSlam program corresponded with her graduation from high school and when she began her freshman year at Camden County College in the fall of 2010 she also began a new program at CFS. “At Camden DREAMS, you have something you can call your own,” referring to her apartment. DREAMS is a permanent supportive housing program that helps teens “aging out” of the foster care system or those young adults without the support of a family and in need of a safe place to live; a perfect place for Kaysie to learn the foundations of living on your own and setting and achieving goals.
Currently Kaysie serves as the president of the Center’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) and the Camden County Youth Advisory Board. She recently had the opportunity to travel to Texas to attend the Daniel Memorial Institute Growing Pains 2011 conference for youth through funding from the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, Office of Adolescent Services. The conference provided the opportunity for Kaysie to bring leadership skills to YAB and other community youth groups.
Kaysie’s goals include helping children just like her. She hopes to receive her degree in social work within the next four years and ultimately wants to open her own group home. “Since coming to CFS I have had a big attitude change. My whole perspective on life is different. I want to make an impact on youth. We all have a voice and people will listen.”
