Clinical Practicum
Compass House (Monday & Wednesdays 3-7 pm)
Day 1- January 17th, 2012- Interview at Resource Center
I am extremely excited to start my practicum for the spring 2012 semester at the Compass House located on Linwood. As this is my last semester at Canisius for undergrad I really wanted another practicum experience. I think that it is much more helpful for me being out in the field as it helps give me ideas for future career plans, as I have applied to grad schools for Social Work. The Compass House provides homeless and runaway youth with safe shelter and services, through a voluntary and mutually agreed- upon process, in an environment which supports dignity, respect, and self-reliance. The Compass House where I will do my practicum hours is open 24 hours a day, and can house up to 13 youth at a time, however, it is important to note that it is only a place to provide short-term emergency shelter. The average stay is about 7 days but it can be anywhere up to 30. The Compass House serves both male and female runaway and homeless youth, 12 through 17 years of age. The house provides a safe shelter, food, clothing, & needed emergency services. A few other things the House provides are an intake and assessment services, crisis counseling, individual, family and group counseling, referrals, advocacy, and aftercare. The Resource Center on Main Street is a place where 16-24 year olds who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless receive services and guidance in a supportive environment. I will not be doing my practicum hours there, but may go there a few times just to see how that program is run. My summary of duties being an intern at Compass House is to help assist the Youth Counselors, at the shelter, and the Case Managers at the resource center (located on Main Street) in building a safe, positive atmosphere at the Compass House that will aid in enhancing the self- esteem of the residents. These are all different points of interest about the Compass House that I received after my interview, along with paperwork to fill out. My interview to be an intern at the Compass House was Tuesday, January 17th, 2012 at the Resource Center. I was offered the spot and was asked to go to a training session the next day Wednesday 18th, 2012, at the Compass House. I am really excited to finally go inside the Compass House, and to see what exactly the house set up is like and to meet a few of the clients.
Day 2- January 18th, 2012- Training at Compass House (6-8 pm)
All day I was really looking forward to finally going to the Compass House, and seeing the environment in which I will be doing my practicum hours at. When I got there I had to be buzzed in, which is how it will be every time I go. I was brought back to a room with a couch and chairs set up for our training session. Along with myself there were 2 students from Medaille College, one student from Buffstate, and 2 volunteers. We were all handed out more information regarding Compass House, rules, and what are roles would be. We sat in a circle discussing who we are and what it is that brought us to Compass House. I explained that I was very intrigued my Compass House, as I wanted experience with teenagers who are facing a variety of different issues, and I really wanted to sit in on counseling sessions. Then, our supervisor who explained she’s been with the House for 30 years, and in fact started out as a volunteer, went on to discuss the history, programs and staff structure. All of the children who come to Compass House and are enrolled in school are to attend school, and Compass House as their own transportation system to make this happen. She also went on to discuss that we as interns and volunteers are to be role models, work in the house with the youth in doing chores, preparing meals/ snacks, helping with case direction goals, recreational activities, supervision of residents, answering phones and doors, and fieldtrips. The last few things we went through that I had already received in my Compass House handbook was cautions and guidelines, professionalism, confidentiality, and self disclosure, Compass House Drug- Free Workplace policy, sexual harassment policy, child abuse prevention guidelines and law and how we would be filling out our time sheets. A binder placed in the main office is where we will report each day we go first thing and sign in. The next thing we did was have a tour of the house itself. There is a large kitchen, an activity room with a large TV and a dining room on the first floor. While we were on the tour there were 3 youth staying at the house at this time and were actually all working together to make dinner which smelled amazing; spaghetti, meatballs, and garlic bread. We then went downstairs which had a pool table and a Foosball table for the youth. Finally we went upstairs where there is a boy’s side and girl’s side. The rooms were quite nice as different groups over the years such as girl scouts have come to the Compass House to design and decorate them. We ended our training on that note, and my first day at the Compass House will be Monday, January 23, 2012 from 3-7pm. I am really looking forward to this experience and it seems as though a lot of my class work at Canisius will fit perfectly into giving me a basis of understanding with these different youth, and the different situations in which they are in. I think that behavior modification, techniques of counseling, child psychopathology and child family and community, are all classes at Canisius that will have given me background ideas of why and how and what one can do to help these troubled teenagers.
Day 3- January 23, 2012- First day at Compass House (3-7 pm)
I was very anxious to get started interning at the Compass House. When, I arrived I was let in and one of the workers showed me where I will be signing in and keeping track of my hours. This was right in the main office at the front of the building. I was told they have a very anxious and rowdy bunch of children today which consisted of 2 girls and 3 boys. Next, the worker explained to me that she actually started out at Compass House as a volunteer and now she works there. In doing so I felt a sense of ease in the thoughts that she must really enjoy the Compass House. She showed me that each individual child at the House has their own separate binder of information. She explained to me that I could read over their notes, the intake of the child, and why in fact they are at the house with regards to their present and past history. I immediately was anxious to read through the binders so I had somewhat of a sense of how these kids act or why in fact they are here. They were for all sorts of reasons but the one commonality among the children is that they needed shelter, in a protective and welcoming environment. I am taking child psychopathology right now and we have already learned that it’s important to assess a child’s behavior as normal or abnormal for their age. So keeping this in mind I was brought back to meet the children. They all seemed very excited to meet me, and right off the bat asked if I would play some board games with them. While they went to the board game closet I noticed one of the girls off to the side looking quite dissatisfied. I introduced myself, and she explained to me who she was and that this is her 18th day in the House. She seemed very overwhelmed about her current struggles so I offered to play a game with her so she could focus her energy and mind on something else. I have learned about emotions, and how sometimes it’s good to change a child’s thought by doing something completely different, but something that they can actively participate and engage themselves in. (I learned this in Motivation and Emotion at Canisius) The children brought out different games such as Sorry, trouble, dominoes, and chess. The children also brought over a deck of cards and really wanted to play this game speed that I actually have never even heard of. The one girl who was off to the side became very excited and asked if she could be the one to teach me how to play the game. Needless to say the game is all about how fast you can make different combinations with cards, and for my first time playing, she absolutely destroyed me. However, I had a lot of fun learning a new game and seeing her smile, and be happy. The children all smoke cigarettes, which they are allowed to have but they can only go outside one at a time and have to be supervised while outside. Next, we all watched some TV shows and I brought up common things to talk about such as what their favorite movies, TV shows, music and sports are. We had a great discussion and it was nice to see activities that they enjoy that really does show their age, as the children in the house right now are all under 16. One girl explained that to help her when she feels overwhelmed or stressed that she likes to dance, within the next few moments there was a dance party going on in the family room. All of the children seemed to be just letting loose and having fun. However, we started receiving very angry phone calls from these different youth’s guardians asking why they weren’t in school today. They all explained it was because of regent’s week, and that they didn’t all have to attend each day depending on what they take in school. Next it was time for dinner it was nice to see all of the kids helping out by washing the table and setting the table. Dinner was quite good as I stayed to eat with them, and talk in getting to know what activity’s each of them enjoy. I had a great first day at Compass House, and I think that this practicum experience fits my personality well, and will help me both grow in being more understanding, and potentially give me an idea for a career path option.
Day 4- January 25th, 2012- Second day at Compass House (3-7 pm)
I was really looking forward to go back to Compass House today, to see if there are any new children, and how the ones I have previously met are doing. When I got there, I was told there are 2 new children, and I decided to read threw their binders of information so I had an idea as to why they are now at Compass House. To protect confidentiality issues I will never use a child’s exact name as I learned in techniques of counseling. However, one of the youth as I was reading through her information disclosed to Compass House that she is 3 months pregnant, she also has severe depression. The other child was found on the streets and explained he had been living there for 3 days with friends and didn’t want to go back home. I was interested in meeting them, and hopefully being helpful to staff by playing different board games with them and working on different activities such as coloring. All of the children really wanted to play Scattegories a really fun game, which really makes your mind think, as there are several questions and all of the answers must start with the letter that was rolled on the dye. We had a great time playing this game together, and the children were all very quite bright and came up with some great answers. We then all watched a movie together which was quite fun as it was a scary movie. A new girl came to the door & I was actually able to sit in on the intake process. She seemed quite young and nervous. She came here because her guardian was throwing bottles and cans at her and smoking marijuana inside the home. She also has a few disorders and was actually in a hospital for 4 months to work through her struggles. I love cheetah print and she had a lot of cheetah print on so we were able to bond over something and she seemed to feel more comfortable. We then all sat down for dinner together and had hotdogs with chili cheese fries, which was delicious and the kids all really enjoyed the meal. Today was a great day, and I really enjoyed learning more about the intake process first hand by actually sitting through one. I learned the basics of the process through techniques of counseling, so it was great to see how what I already knew was applied.
Day 5- January 30th, 2012- Third day at Compass House (3-7 pm)
As, I had finally started making a connection and forming a bond with the different children in the house, today when I went there 3 of them were sent home, the previous days. I was sad, but also intrigued to meet the 3 new children in the house. When I got to Compass House, the director was there and not to happy with some of the children’s behavior as it seems they were very energized over the night hours. He was not pleased and explained that when they act out there will be consequences and they were not allowed to use the WII gaming system unless the next 2 nights they go to sleep, without causing major and obvious loud distractions to one another. This is a means of negative reinforcement which I learned about in Behavior Modification. I went and met the new children and figured I would wait on reading their intakes so I had no bias when meeting them. The one new boy was asleep, and the two new girls were very close friends with each other it seemed, and were very welcoming and really wanted to get to know me. They asked me many questions about myself however Compass House guidelines is to keep in mind that the children are not to be our friends, and you don’t want to get to close with them, or things can go wrong. So for instance one of the girls asked where I live back home, and I just explained I live in Albany. Another girl one who I have already met seemed very distraught, and overwhelmed I asked her what was going on, and she showed me how much homework she has to catch up on as she was suspended from school. She had about 10 sheets of science homework and a lot of Spanish vocabulary words to study. I told her to just start doing it and it will be done in no time and if she needs any help that I would be more than willing to do so. A few moments later she put her head on her desk and started crying. I was a little taken back and was hoping I didn’t upset her. She told me she’s so stressed out, and no one at Compass House will let her do anything because all of the youth there have been bad. I went and brought one of the staff members over to her, and we worked out a deal for getting her homework done she could In fact play the WII, and use her laptop. This is a means of positive reinforcement, which I also learned about in Behavior Modification. She worked hard on getting her Science homework done and then asked me to review her Spanish Vocabulary words with her. We did this actually for about an hour going back and forth until she had all of them memorized. I was glad she asked me for help, and what worked out even more perfectly is that I have taken Spanish for 4 years, so I had a few key pointers and ideas for her so she could remember the words and their meanings. The 2 new girls explained they were bored so I asked if they would like to play a board game. They went and picked one out, and we all had a great time. One of the staff members explained to me that there is a sheet that I could fill out when playing games or doing group activities that will be documented and kept in a binder, to show the different ideas for games and projects and who’s doing what and which children are actively engaged etc. The two new girls seemed to have a lot of secrets with one another, which is one of those things at Compass House that if you say it in front of one person everyone will probably find out. I decided now would be a great time to go look at the new children’s intakes, as I really couldn’t guess quite why they are now at Compass House. To my surprise they are all here for extremely serious reasons. For confidentiality purposes I can’t go into great detail, but a lot of family court, is involved in their very serious cases. For reading what these children have gone through I was surprised in how well they acted with others. However, doing different activities is a way for them to focus their energy on something else. As I was getting ready to leave a new boy was going through the intake process, and one of the interns actually got to sit in on it and be a bit of help as the boy knew very little English, and was almost 100% in Spanish. All in all I had a great few hours at Compass House, and I am looking forward to my next visit.
Day 6- February 1st, 2012- Fourth day at Compass House (3-7 pm)
Today was a very relaxed day at Compass House. When I arrived I walked into the family room, and all of the youth were watching a scary movie (The Grudge) together. When I looked around I realized there were some new faces. I decided while they were all intrigued by the movie to go look at the new children’s intake sheets. There were 3 new girls and one new boy, who was way after his curfew for getting back to the house. I then sat with the children and watched the rest of the movie. One of the children asked if we could watch “Bring it on” next as she found the Grudge to be quite frightening. We then all watched this movie together and the girls especially liked it as they all explained they liked dance and cheer-leading a lot. Next it was dinner time, I leave right before dinner time but I am there to help the kids set the table, and work in the kitchen. For dinner they were to have chicken and rice, with vegetables, it smelled fantastic. It was a very low key day at Compass House, but I enjoyed it. I think it’s very interesting that within a day there is sometimes a whole new group of children. It goes to show that many people know of and recommend Compass House as an option. They are a very worthwhile organization in helping youth to get back up on their feet and to prosper and move forward with their lives in a safe and nurturing environment.
Day 7- February 6th, 2012- Fifth day at Compass House (3-7 pm)
Today when I walked in I actually met another new intern she seemed very nice and outgoing and very interactive with the children. Today there were 3 girls and 1 boy. We all started to draw and color together which I enjoy a lot as it’s a huge stress reducer for me, so I was thinking perhaps this was good for the youth and it may be beneficial to them as well. I started talking to the new intern and to my surprise she also attends Canisius is a psychology major and is looking at the same schools as me for graduate school. It was fun talking to her for a little bit about how applying to grad school is going for her. This was great to meet someone on pretty much the exact same page as me. Then one of the employees asked if one of us could take two of the girls on a walk over to the resource center as counselors there had set up meetings with the girls. Instead of just one of us going we all decided to walk over. It was a nice day out so I really couldn’t complain. When we got there the 2 girls went into their meetings while the rest of us watched TV and one of the girls was told that she was allowed to use the internet. We spent about an hour and a half at the resource center which was fun to go out with the girls with a bit of different scenery. When the girls who were having their meeting were done we walked back to Compass House, and all went downstairs in the basement to play pool. This was really fun and it definitely brought out the competitive side in the youth. I am horrible at pool, so I just enjoyed watching their game and helping them keep track of the score. Today was a very low key day at the Compass House, but it was nice to get outside of the house for a little bit to get some fresh air, and to see the different games they have over at the resource center which is just located on Main Street. The one thing that I am really noticing is that it’s hard when I’m only at the house Monday and Wednesdays because after my hours from Wednesday are done I have to wait about 5 days and typically the children I had met are gone from Compass House. That’s why I feel as though every time I’m at Compass House I should try my best to interact with the youth and try and get their minds off of things and have a good experience as it may be my one and only time to ever see and meet them. I will not be able to go to Compass House on Wednesday due to a doctor’s appointment so hopefully I will be able to make these hours up on a Friday or sometime in the near future.
Day 8- February 13th, 2012- Sixth day at Compass House (3-7 pm)
When I arrived at Compass House today I was interested to see how many youth were there since I had not been at the house since last Monday. To my surprise there were 7 kids 3 girls and 4 boys and only a few of who I had met the previous week. I walked in and there was a volunteer who seemed very polite and excited and explained that today was his first day at Compass House, he was also very insightful as he explained he graduated from UB and was actually offered a job at UB in the admissions department. This was great as I have just applied to UB for grad school so he was able to give me a few pointers. Then one of the staff asked if one of us could walk a few girls to the resource center as they had counseling meetings. As it was a very nonchalant day at the Compass House as none of the youth were home from school yet we decided to all go over together. It was quite chilly outside so we were sure to walk quickly. When we got there the 2 girls went into their meetings and myself and the volunteer sat down and watched some TV. The resource center is a place where individuals who are older than 18 can go for assistance in finding a job, creating a resume or they can obtain some clothing. There was a man there that explained he was a terrible child, and had been to jail twice and that through Compass House he has been able to get back up on his feet, and work towards a better more positive lifestyle. He was very friendly and we talked a lot about the Grammy Award show that was on the previous night. The girls were out of their meetings and were told by their counselors that they were allowed to each pick out 2 new pairs of jeans, as they had a large abundance of donations that had just came in. The girls were excited and had fun looking through the different pairs. We all walked back together, and when we got back we went downstairs to play pool with the other youth who had returned from school. Today was a relaxed day but it was nice getting to meet new children, and spend time with them.
Day 9- February 15th, 2012- Seventh day at Compass House (3-7 pm)
Today when I arrived at Compass House there was another new intern sitting on the couch watching TV she explained that she was from Buffstate. She seemed really nice and we talked for awhile about our future career plans as none of the children were home from school yet. There were still all seven kids in the house from the previous day. When the youth started arriving home from school a few of the girls really wanted to draw and color so we did that for quite awhile, as I have previously mentioned I really enjoy coloring as it’s a way for me to release stress and to focus on one thing. We worked together to create picture and had a really fun time. There was a girl today who was acting out quite a bit, she was very hostile with authority figures, and seemed to be in a good mood one minute and extremely angry the next. I was quite curious as to what was going on and if she was okay. I went back to look at her intake and sure enough she is a child who has been diagnosed with bipolar. I have learned about bipolar disorder in Abnormal Psych, so I was aware of the different ways she may act, and why it was that she almost seemed like a different person 5 minutes later. I just tried to relax her by coloring with her and talking about things that interested her. She told me she loves reading books so we talked for awhile about that and she gave me ideas of some great books to read. She came off to me as a very smart girl, who just has a few other things to work out so that she is happy. Then we all watched a movie together, and I helped to set up the table for dinner with the youth. I will not be able to attend Compass House Monday as I am going home for presidents Day weekend but I look forward to coming back next Thursday, and seeing all of the changes that are made with different youth living there.
Day 10- February 22th, 2012- Eighth day at Compass House (3-7 pm)
It was nice to go home for a few days but I was very interested in how different Compass House would be since I haven’t been there for 7 days. That doesn’t sound like a very long time but since Compass House is such short term care its quite interesting every time I go to see if there will be new kids and to hear about what happened to the youth that were there. One girl who was there since the first day I had been an intern at Compass House had found foster care. She is someone who I did form a bond with as she stayed longer than most children. It was so weird not seeing her and I felt like somewhat of an empty space. She talked to me a lot and confided in me at times when she felt very low. I was glad to hear that she had found a place to stay, and I really do hope that things go well for her. She was a bright girl just grew up in a very negative environment. I have learned a lot in child psychopathology about how the environment in which someone grows up in more specifically the guardians parenting styles can really affect a child and their outlook on life and interactions with others. There were 2 boys and 3 girls today. They were all very quiet and just watched TV for a majority of my time there.
Day 11- February 27th, 2012- ninth day at Compass House (3-7 pm)
Today, at Compass House there were 3 girls and 2 boys. The girls seemed to be friends and were very outgoing with one another. The boys, all were watching TV in the other room so I decided to hang out with the girls in the art room. We all colored pictures together and I wrote their names in bubble letters for them to design and color in after. It was a good bonding experience, and after awhile they started to open up to me. It’s interesting in how some kids will immediately open right up and tell you things while others stay very to themselves. One of the girls actually caught me very off guard and asked me a few questions about pregnancy and explained she was worried that she might be. I could see the nervousness in her face and how anxious she was as she was very fidgety in the stool she was sitting in. I learned in Techniques of Counseling that nonverbal can be just as or more key than verbal expressions. I told her what I knew about pregnancy which honestly isn’t a ton and told her that we could talk to one of the staff and she could take a pregnancy test so that she knew and could move forward and figure out a decision that would be best for her if she were to be in fact pregnant. I was glad she confided in me but I didn’t want to ask her too many questions as she already seemed quite overwhelmed. When we were done talking I went to look at her intake to get a better idea of the circumstances and her situation. She was found on the streets and in her intake process explained that her dad kicked her out. It did say on her intake however that she has a boyfriend who is 18 while she is 16. I think that things will become quite difficult if she is pregnant but that there will be people there to give her guidance, if that in fact comes to be. I had a good day at Compass House, it is somewhat crazy to see the different girls at Compass House and that about half of them have already been pregnant or are worried that they are. It really makes you think twice about the environment in which they grew up in and how at such young ages that children are becoming pregnant and really aren’t considering how much work raising a baby would be when so many of these children don’t have a job or any way in supporting themselves let alone another life.
Day 12- February 29th, 2012- tenth day at Compass House (3-7 pm)
Today at Compass House there was 4 boys and 2 girls. One of the employees asked if I could escort a few of the girls to the resource center. On our walk to the resource center I really got to know them a little bit better. Having not read their intakes I didn’t want to ask too many personal questions and hit a nerve with them. However, I did ask them how they liked Compass House. One of the girls told me that she was at Compass House 10 months ago and she never thought that she would be back. I was then naturally curious why she was back and asked her how come she is back and told her if she doesn’t want to talk about that I respect that but I am hear and will listen if she wanted to talk. She explained that she was kicked out of a group home. She told me she really didn’t like it anyways since it was all girls which can get very obnoxious. I asked her why she was kicked out and she just said because she was late one too many times. She also explained to me that she couldn’t go back home because her dad doesn’t want her there, and she said he’s abusive anyways so that would be the last place she would ever want to be. She opened up a lot to me and I could tell she trusted me. She actually seemed surprised she had told me so much as she said she’s never really opened up to anyone about her dad before. This made me feel good as I have learned in many psych classes specifically techniques of counseling that first impressions do mean something and is a way that someone will either want to see you again such as a client. When we arrived to the resource center the girls went into their meetings. We walk back an hour later and regrouped with everyone else. We then all played “Jenga” together and “Uno” up until dinner.
Day 13-March 5th, 2012- eleventh day at Compass House (3-10pm)
As, I was looking through that I would need quite a few more hours I decided to start going to Compass House on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3-10 pm as long as I didn’t have a huge test the next day. Also, I realized that Spring break is this month and I will be missing a week of hours at the Compass House as I live 5 hours from Buffalo. However, the food always smells great, so I was excited to stay and have a free meal with everyone, and learn more about the youth. Today, there were 5 boys and 2 girls quite a few children. A few of the youth needed to be escorted to the resource center as they were new to Compass House and weren’t quite sure where it was located. I actually enjoy escorting them there because it is a time for me to talk to them and get to know them a little bit better away from in the house when really everyone can hear you. I walked over one boy who is 16 and a girl who is 14. They both had a lot of energy and were quite excited and a little nervous to meet their case workers. The boy told me that he really enjoys school as it is an escape from his home life which he really hates. He explained to me that he has a younger sister who gets away with everything and he feels neglected by his mother. The girl that also came along explained that she is on her third foster parents and just isn’t happy and is concerned about her future. I was glad they opened up to me. When we got to the resource center they both went in and saw their case managers and I told them I would be waiting right outside for some reassurance to the youth that I would be walking them back as they had both told me they feel quite abandoned at home. I wanted them to feel comfortable here and not threatened or nervous in anyway. While they were in their meetings I had a lot of time to reflect about Compass House. When I think of a house for runaway teens I honestly have a very negative idea of this such as though these teens are perhaps very mischievous and don’t have much of anything and would be literally in rags. (It probably doesn’t help that I watch so much law & order and Lifetime Movies). These children typically just have grown up in very unsupported environments but not one child if I saw them outside of the Compass House would I think was homeless. Yes Compass House does provide needs for these children, such as the basic toiletries and some clothes if in need. However, these children often, times have ran away from home because, they feel trapped in a very unsettling environment. Not to be confused though, some of these children have put themselves in some terrible situations but that isn’t the case for all of them. In terms of cultural issues at the Compass House, many of these children were taught by their guardians that they will not amount to anything because often times they haven’t done much with their own lives. However, everyone has choices and a lot of the children at the Compass House excel in school as for them it is a safe place away from everything else that maybe such a struggle in their home life. Culture I think shapes the way children think and why children have certain beliefs. A lot of these children are placed into a category as they wont amount to anything but that is very stereotypical as I truly believe with motivation anyone can reach goals as long as they set their mind to it, and have confidence in themselves. I think that our culture is very stereotypical which I believe to be extremely harmful to our youth. It not only harms the way they may feel about themselves but they can also hurt others, as this is the way so many children have been brought up. A perfect example of this is that there is a child at the Compass House that is called gay all of the time because he dresses differently than the rest, but that doesn’t define a person by any means. A positive personality and how one treats others I think is of utmost importance. The children came out of their meetings and we walked back to the Compass House. I never really thought about how much culture and ones environment and the people who surround them can both help and hinder a child to two very different extremes.
Day 14-March 7th, 2012- Twelfth day at Compass House (3-10pm)
Today at Compass House there was the same group of 5 boys and 2 girls. When I got there everyone was watching a movie so I joined them. I had never read any of the intakes of these children so I figured I should probably do that, because when talking to the children I don’t want to hit a nerve with them and make them upset. I stayed for dinner today and each of the youth had a different chore to do such as one was the cooks’ helper, someone else sets the table and so on and so forth. For dinner we had salad, hamburgers, spaghetti and a whole arrangement of different fruits. I don’t know if I had ever seen such large quantities of food at a table before or even so many people together at one table I liked it. At dinner we all went around and shared something about ourselves that we didn’t think the other people would ever guess. I shared that I am allergic to chocolate which all of the youth weren’t sure how I could live without it. After dinner we all helped to pick up. One of the staff had an activity for the youth to do. I had actually done this activity when I was in high school so it was fun to think back on it. All of the children had a certain amount of money and then different categories it could go into such as groceries, recreation, heating costs, transportation etc. This activity is good because it shows the children how fast money can go and how much is used on different items. Also, it showed them how to prioritize where they could/should spend money the most and least. Also, that living alone and paying rent for their own apartment isn’t always the easiest especially if they don’t plan on going onto college or a higher form of education. This activity showed to be very beneficial on the children and I was glad to see that the staff do provide mandatory activities like this to really open up the youths eyes.
Day 15-March 19th, 2012- Thirteenth day at Compass House (3-10pm)
As, I have not been to Compass House in awhile due to our Spring Break I was intrigued to go back and see what new youth were there and if any of the children were still there from before my Spring Break. To my surprise a few of the same kids were still there, and remembered me. I was asked to walk a girl to the Resource Center. She seemed very shy and almost kind of unsure about herself. She was quite a bit bigger than me but just seemed so nervous and was very apologetic about just about everything even if there was no reason to be at all. She was very soft spoken, but I did learn some things about her, she explained her mom and her fight a lot and it really upsets her. She really seemed like such a sweet girl. However, it was extremely warm outside today and I was very warm in a t-shirt where she had on boots a sweatshirt and a jacket over that. I could tell she was sweating and offered to carry her coat for her. She seemed very hesitant but then went along with it. She kept pulling her sleeves on her sweatshirt down even though they weren’t rolled up I thought perhaps it was just a nervous behavior. We got to the resource center and she went into her meeting. She came back out about 45 minutes later and we started our walk back to the Compass House. She was still very soft spoken and almost seemed more hesitant to talk to me. We started walking and honestly I could see how warm and uncomfortable she was. She then took her sweatshirt off. I then realized why having her sweatshirt on was such a big deal to her. She had scars literally all up and down her arms. There must have been about `15 cuts on her left arm. I had learned a lot about self injury in abnormal psych but had never seen so many scars on someone before. I didn’t say anything to her or stare to much as I knew it was a big step for her to even have that showing. When we were almost back she told me that she has stopped cutting herself and that she needs help, and that counseling sessions are being set up for her. When we returned I looked at her intake and I wasn’t too surprised to see that this 15 year old girl has tried to commit suicide 4 times within the last year. She seemed like such a sweet girl but obviously there is a lot going on with her and I hope she gets the treatment she needs to help her struggles. This was kind of a rough day at Compass House when I left as I couldn’t stop thinking about her arms, and all the pain this girl must be going through on a day to day basis.
Day 16-March 21st, 2012- fourteenth day at Compass House (3-10pm)
Today at Compass House to my surprise no youth were there when I got there. There were only 4 children currently in the house but they were all still at school or involved in after school activities. They finally all returned and the girl who had shared so much with me last time was still in the house. She asked me if I could make a call for her. I typed the number in, and she explained to me it was her mom and that she felt as though they needed to talk and that she felt as though she was ready to go home. This is good news and I hope is the right decision for her. While she was on the phone the other children wanted to play pool so I brought them downstairs. When we came back up it was time for dinner. After dinner the girl came over to me and explained that she would be going home tomorrow and she thanked me for being supportive to her and listening and not judging her. This meant a great deal to me, and made me feel not only good about myself but glad that I positively helped her even if it was just by listening and being there. The house right now is interesting as this one girl is African American; there is a Hispanic boy a Muslim boy and a Caucasian boy. It really shows that people of all ethnic backgrounds can go through similar struggles.
Day 16-March 26th, 2012- fourteenth day at Compass House (3-10pm)
Today at Compass House there was actually all new youth 3 boys and 2 girls. Everyone was just kind of doing their own thing, so I sat down and watched TV in the living room with a few of them. I then walked a few of the youth to the resource center, and back. Today seemed extremely low key, and everyone really just seemed quite tired. We had dinner and one of the youth asked if we could watch the TV show the “Voice” after. I was excited about this as I love this show and since I have decided to come to Compass House on Mondays right through the show it is very hit or miss if the children in the house would want to watch it or not as everyone has different likes and dislikes. We all watched the show together and as it is called the challenge round we had a fun time predicting which contestants we thought would be staying or who would get kicked off. I left at the end of the show. Compass House was nice today but really not too much excitement at all. I will not be able to attend Compass House Wednesday due to a doctor’s appointment but I will be going Friday to make up the time so I stay steady with my hours.
Day 17- April 1st, 2012 Fifteenth day at Compass House (3-10 pm)
I was unable to go Friday however. I think I will be okay with my hours. Today was interesting as there were 3 boys and 2 girls. One of the girls called me to the side and asked me if I would walk with her and one of the other girls to TIm Hortons. I agreed to it. I find it very interesting how so many of the kids at Compass House smoke cigarettes so on our walk they both pulled those out. They kind of seem like more of the tough type so I figured this could be an awkward walk but to my surprise they opened up to me and I almost felt like it was the point of asking me to go with them so they had someone to vent to. They told me a lot about their home life and future goals. We laughed together and the walk went quite well. One of the girls was talking a lot about her boyfriend and I really didn't hear to many positive things which I think she came to realize after talking out loud about him. She explained that they went to the same high school but they are actually 10 years apart in age. She is only 17 so this made me a little bit worried. I have learned a lot about unhealthy relationships in child psychopathology, and I really felt as though herself and her boyfriend were in one. She even went as far to say that he has hit her before. I explained to her that that is just never okay and she did agree with me, she first tried to defend her boyfriend for his awful actions but soon realized that she couldn't. When we returned to Compass House everyone was watching a movie so we joined, had tacos for dinner, and watched more TV after dinner. I went home around 10pm, but was so glad that these girls had opened up so much to me it made me feel good that they felt comfortable coming to me, and sharing so much.
Day 18- April 2nd, 2012 Sixteenth day at Compass House (3-10 pm)
Today at Compass House no kids were even home yet when I arrived so I stayed busy by studying for an oral exam I have coming up in Biopsych of stress. When the kids got home there were two girls. One of the girls and I had a nice conversation about school and what subjects she likes and dislikes. When the other girl started talking she seemed very stressed. I asked her a few questions about school, and she then told me she is actually not enrolled in school and that she is a runaway. She then explained that her mom now lives in Buffalo and that she was living with her boyfriend but that he was arrested last night. I didn't want her to feel like she couldn't talk to me so I didn't pry her for all of the details, I learned that trust is very important in techniques of counseling. She then explained to me that there is a order for her protection and that her boyfriend is aloud near her at all for 2 years. She then explained that he hit her pretty bad and the police came. I asked her how old she was and she explained 16, I then was curious how old her boyfriend was assuming that he was probably around the same age. I never expected her to next tell me that he is actually 30 years old. I was extremely taken back by this and was almost at a loss for words. I asked her how they had met going along with everything, and she explained that they met at a train station as she was on the run and had been inseparable ever since. I really couldn't believe all that I was hearing and wanted to almost yell at her but I kept my cool, or at least tried too. The number one thing that concerned her the most was how she was going to get him out of jail. I asked her if she had a job she replied with no and that he doesn't have one either and that they have actually been living with her mom. I just listened to her and told her that things always have a way of working out but that she should reevaluate her relationship. This was probably the most shocking story I have heard so far at Compass House and honestly this kind of makes me really want to be a counselor at some point in the future.
Day 19- April 11th, 2012 seventeenth day at Compass House (3-10 pm)
Today, was quite dull at Compass House everyone seemed very tired, so we all just watched TV together however, we watched My Wife and Kids, about 4 episodes in a row. I find it interesting how all of the children in the room were African Americans and the family in this show are all African Americans as well. However, one of the staff went to change the channel and he changed it to Everybody Loves Raymond and they were not intrigued at all. This may be somewhat interesting as it has to do with perhaps culture and some language differences between different ethnic groups. I may be thinking a little to into this but I found it interesting. We honestly did do much else today it was very low key.
Day 20- April 16th, 2012 eighteenth day at Compass House (3-10 pm)
Today at Compass house we did a small scavenger hunt activity, that none of the kids were very excited to do however, once started they all did it and seemed to like it. We all had a variety of magazines to look at and different tasks such as to find a landscape a word that describes yourself etc. and glued them to a sheet of paper whatever their favorite color was. This was a small task to keep the individuals occupied with their focus on something other then why in fact it is that they are at the Compass House. It also was a way in which the kids could briefly get to know a few things about each other. I really enjoyed this activity and searching through the magazines with the different children. After the activity was done, I had one girl pull me to the side and she asked me a few questions about myself but I knew thats not why she wanted to talk. She disclosed to me that she thinks she may in fact be pregnant and that shes horrified as her boyfriend has recently broken up with her. I told her that I would need to tell one of the staff and that they could get her a pregnancy test. She felt relieved I believe and thanked me for listening and helping her. I actually waited outside while she went to check as she said she was very scared, and I told her I would be right outside the door. She came out and said she wasn't pregnant but felt much better, knowing. I explained that she should perhaps take one more from a different brand sometime soon just as a double check. I felt great that she came to me for advice and help, today I would say was very successful.
Day 21- April 18th, 2012- nineteenth day at Compass House (3-10 pm)
Today was rather interesting as there was 2 Muslim girls and a Philippine girl in the house. They were all very shy and didn't talk much so we decided to play scattegories one of my favorite games so I really couldn't complain. We had a good time and the girls really seemed to enjoy the game. The rest of the evening was quite calm and relaxing. I am going to miss Compass House as I only have one more day to go but I have learned so much through this experience.
Day 22- April 23rd, 2012- twentieth day at Compass House (3-10 pm)
Today is my last day at Compass House. It was very low key it seemed to be. There was 2 boys there and 1 girl. They just kind of did their own thing. One of the girls went to work on some homework and shortly after asked me for help. She asked for some math help which definitely wasn't my best subject but I told her I would try my best. That brought back some memories for me. I was glad I was able to help. We had breakfast for dinner which was actually pretty fun and the children were excited for it. After we all watched a movie together, which was fun. I had a great last day at Compass House and have learned so much throughout this experience. Yes, sometimes were dull but they could never replace all of the memories I have made and the kids I have come in contact with and I hope I have made a positive influence on them. Compass House is a great learning experience and such a worth while organization.
