What is your position with Ellipsis?
I’m a youth care worker with our residential program.
How long have you worked here?
I’ve worked at Ellipsis for a little more than a year.
Have you had any other roles/jobs during your tenure with Ellipsis?
I’ve always held this position at Ellipsis.
What drew you to work at Ellipsis?
I worked at the boys’ schools for Metro Kids for about four years, and I just really wanted to continue working with kids. I had a friend who worked at Ellipsis, and he told me about the organization. Ellipsis has a great legacy, and I’d heard great things, so I really wanted to work here.
Can you recall a moment (during your career with Ellipsis) when you felt like you were in exactly the right place, doing exactly what you should be doing? What was that like?
I’ve worked in the residential program and worked on Christmas twice now. Seeing the kids wake up and making Christmas morning special for them was awesome. It was great showing them a wonderful holiday and really seeing them happy, saying, “I've never really had like a real Christmas like this.” Holidays aren’t only about being with family; it’s about being with great people. It felt good.
What are some of the more challenging aspects of this job?
It would always be great to have more resources to help the kids and help staff do their jobs better. For instance, we had one washer on my shelter campus, so we had to walk across campus anytime we wanted to wash clothing and bedding.
What are some of the rewarding aspects of the job?
I had a youth tell me right before he was leaving residential care after being adopted that I was one of the only staff members and adults he trusted enough to confide in. That was a big moment. I just really love my job, so whenever I get called to come into work, I hurry because it’s better to be what I’m doing at work than whatever I was doing at the time. I love seeing the youth leave and knowing that they’ve come so far in reaching their goals and are in a much better position than when they came in.
Why is it important to have residential programs in communities, and qualified people working in them?
If we didn’t have programs like this, where are the kids going to go and how are they going to learn basic life skills that they aren’t equipped with before coming here? It seems pretty obvious that we need this, and we need more support.
What is a misconception people may have about mental health treatment? How do you dispel that?
A therapist you connect with can make all the difference. I think people need to know that if you aren’t clicking with a therapist or don’t feel heard, don’t give up on getting mental health help. You just need a variety of helpers. We also need more therapists and free mental health help to encourage everyone who needs it to seek help.
If there’s anything else you’d like to add about your role, please feel free to do so!
I love working at Ellipsis!