Ep. 465: Seeing Street Kids’ Potential
Guest: Krista Thompson, former CEO of Covenant House
“The reasons why children end up on the streets are complex.”
“Often, their arrival represents an active decision on their part in response to serious rights violations at home,” says Moses Ogutu in “Under The Bridge: The Invisible Lives of Street Children.” Ogutu was a child of the street for five years. Today, he is an international business and trade lecturer at the African Leadership University and a 2017 Mandela Rhodes Scholar.
Ogutu’s life journey is proof that children who end up on the streets can and do rise above the challenges they face. Ogutu points out that homelessness among youth is a global problem and in each jurisdiction, the reason a child arrives on the street is individual and globally similar.
Krista Thompson, the past CEO of Vancouver’s Covenant House, agrees. “There are many successful intervention strategies that work to help young people who clearly have smarts and grit and problem-solving abilities to move forward toward a more positive future.” One such strategy is “Relentless Support,” a program that Covenant House offers.
We invited Krista Thompson to join us for a Conversation That Matters about ensuring that young people are not forgotten, are visible, and supported to grow, develop, and realize their potential.
Want to learn more about our guest?
Check out their profile on our partnered program, Careers That Matter!
