Explain some of the reasons that you left home?

Things weren't working our between me and my mom, fighting between me and my mom, I just didn't want to be at home anymore.

Did you ever live on the streets?

I'm still living on the streets, but on and off for about 2 going getting ready to be 3 years. I'm still learning new stuff too.

What's the hardest thing for you about living on the street?

Lack of sleep, last night I got kicked out of my home-girls house and I had to fall asleep between these two garages right by her place and um, it was pretty comfortable, I fell asleep.

What else?

Um, one of the hardest things to see is, um, see the friends that I've made do dope kill themselves that way. Methamphetamines …

How did you hear about YouthCare?

I was actually tossed in there by the courts. I didn't really what to be there but I toughed it out for little while.

What happened there?

I was unhappy when I was at home, just getting into fights, not even really fighting, I was just really pissed off about being there. Whail I was there I did to a lot of good, this was before even, threshold and shelter combined to one big program, I was 16, yeah I just turned 16.

What are some of you goals that you're working towards right now?

Getting another job, getting a place to stay that's long term, that I'm actually paying for.

How has YouthCare helped you?

It taught me how not to be pissed off all the time, I'm not always aggravated and yelling a people for no good reason,

Where do you think you be if it wasn't for YouthCare?

Um, I don't know, there is like a lot of places that I could be at. Um, probably living with friends or something. Yeah, I would have moved out, I wouldn't have met all those people I did, or had the experiences I did.

What programs have you used?

Back when shelter and threshold weren't combined, I stayed in shelter 6 times maybe more, threshold maybe 5, teen hope 3 but that's not really a YouthCare facility. TREC, when they were doing horseback riding, the um, job training stuff, That's how I got to the job that I have know.

Where you working.

The baresta training program, which is doing really well.

Which one has helped you most?

Probably the job training, cause now I know how to make a cover letter a resume and my job know taught me a lot about coffee, so, I could give you an hour long talk about coffee. It's kinda fun.

What goals are you looking forward to in the future?

Finding work, having one kid, a steady place to live and a good job.

Where would you like to be in 5 years?

Probably the same place with a bigger house and a better job.