Posted by Jennifer Hello! Judy has asked me forever to post something about the work I'm doing, so here it goes. I am a 30 year old Metis woman, living and working in Greater Vancouver. I work as a Crisis Worker for a Regional program working in hospital emergency rooms and schools doing assessments and counseling for youths under age 19 in acute mental health crisis. Part of this work includes working with homeless youth. I use a lot of photo-therapy in my work both with individuals and groups, and have had a lot of success. This month, I completed my Ph.D. in the department of Counselling Psychology at the University of British Columbia, Canada. I was the first ever to present a film (along with the traditional 130 page document) as my dissertation. I really felt after publishing my Master's work that it didn't reach my intended audience. I felt that going back to school for 4 years, I would do something I believed in, so I fought to make a film which would tell the stories of former street kids. I hoped this research would inform people about the transition off of the streets for youth, something we as researchers know very little about. It has been a tremendous success, and has been presented at conferences all over the world. It has received great media coverage, and I couldn't be happier. I sit as a member on the Aboriginal Homelessness Steering Committee, as well as the Urban Aboriginal Strategy. Email: Jennifer.Mervyn@fraserhealth.ca Film Presentation: I will send the media links in a separate posting when I figure out how to do that, thanks! Jennifer
on 11/13/2006, 8:07 pm
209.53.175.250
Metamorphosis: An In-Depth Look at the Lives of Former Street Kids” - 33 minutes, by Jennifer Mervyn, M.A., Ph.D.
My master’s thesis involved a critical incident analysis of the factors that helped and hindered adults’ homeless transitions. In an extension of my master’s research, and as part of my dissertation, I made a documentary-style film featuring 4 BC youth, who have successfully left a life on the streets. Half of these young women are aboriginal. Youth in this film tell their stories about life on the streets, and what they had to do to leave that life behind them.
Politicians, police, and front-line workers are also interviewed for their input in what helps facilitate exits to homelessness for young people. Concerns raised in the film include lack of available treatment for youth struggling with substance abuse, the need for treatment on demand, the deficits in the “4 Pillars Approach”, and the challenges of the Young Offenders Act. Jennifer’s dissertation research takes a critical look at the resilience factors in youth leaving the street, and examines the process of transition that successful youth have made. This powerful and thought-provoking film generally conjures a lot of questions and discussion about the changes we need to make to help future youth successfully transition off the street.
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