At Covenant House we are all about making connections. When youth first arrive at Covenant House they connect with Travis, a member of our prevention team. Travis works with youth who come to our shelter and he works with them to uncover connections in the community and other safe options. This support is critical to help youth avoid needing to enter the shelter system and make their experience with homelessness as brief as possible. This support includes contacting and mediating between the youth and their family and friends, coordinating with other helping professionals who are already involved with the young person, and providing access to short term emergency funds such as grocery gifts cards or transportation support to ensure youth make it to home safely.
If a youth is successful in securing a place to stay other than a shelter Travis stays in contact with the youth for several months to support the stability of their housing situation.
If there are no other options available, Travis then connects youth with the programs and services available at Covenant House. Each young person has their own unique path ahead of them, we can support them with their physical and mental health, life skills development, education goals and even employment opportunities.
Travis has worked at Covenant House for almost a decade and sees first-hand how critical it is for youth to find connections and feel that they belong.
“While it’s true that sometimes our youth’s only option for support is emergency shelter because they have no healthy connections to any local communities – some youth do. It’s helping young people identify and build on these connections that will help improve their chances of succeeding outside of shelter systems. I find I best help youth by being a calm and present worker when youth come to us in crisis, hear them out and talk through with them steps to come up with a solution to their problem, and the network of resources I can connect them with helps them to feel more assured that there is hope.”
Travis has a special knack for helping young people find their way. Thank you, Travis, for the incredible support you offer to the young people counting on Covenant House.