BAMH Students Participate in “Sleep Out” Fundraiser
Tags: Vol. 4, June 2024, Issue 2
On April 11th, 2024, students from the Bachelor of Social Science – Addictions and Mental Health (BAMH) program participated in a “Sleep Out” – a fundraiser hosted by Covenant House Toronto. The annual event asks participants to give up their bed and sleep on the street in solidarity with the over 6,000 youth who experience homelessness in Canada every night. Each participant is provided with a sleeping bag and a few pieces of cardboard to get them through the night. Together the group had to raise $2,000 in order to attend; all proceeds go towards Covenant House, an agency which provides 24/7 shelter, sanctuary and support to youth overcoming homelessness and survivors of sex trafficking.
BAMH students Elisabeth Dobre and Kerry Petrino participated in the Sleep Out, with fundraising support from their classmate, Brenda Suen, and professor, Elaine Belore. Elisabeth and Kerry slept outside of Toronto Metropolitan University alongside 100 other sleepers who were there to support the cause. Elisabeth described the night as an “eye opening” and impactful experience:
Although brief, sleeping on the street for one-night paints a picture of what some youth face for several years at a time. On April 11th, it had rained the entire day, and it was not going to let up for the remainder of the night. My sleeping bag broke as soon as we had settled in, leaving my back exposed to the cold air. The ground was incredibly hard and cold and offered very little support. Although we were surrounded by about 100 people and a couple of security guards, it felt incredibly lonely and scary knowing that we would be out all night with no shelter. The cars passing by felt louder than ever and surrounding city life produced scary sounds. We had one thought keeping us motivated to get through the night, “we have a warm bed to go home to.” We could not imagine what calling the streets of Toronto our home would feel like. Although we had become rather familiar with the idea of homelessness throughout our program, coming face to face with sleeping on the street felt entirely different.
As case managers, therapists, and support workers, we are consistently working with people who are often misunderstood and under-represented. Partaking in the Covenant House Sleep Out not only taught us valuable information but also left us with a lot of room to grow. Now that we better understand the issues faced by those experiencing homelessness, we can work together towards tackling the problem head-on while reflecting on our own privileges and biases. We feel as though gaining hands-on experience and insights into the lives of our clients exponentially helps us better understand and assist them.
The FSCS celebrates Elisabeth, Kerry, and Brenda, for their incredible initiative and dedication in contributing to this fundraiser.
