By the time he was 18 and aged out of the foster care system, Brayden Boyce lived in 17 different homes. The trauma and stress he endured during those years took a toll on his mental health.
Boyce, now 19, participates in a program called New Narrative. New Narrative, a local non-profit mental health organization that helps young people aging out of foster care, also includes Ascending Flow, the mentorship arm of the program. yourself through music and art.
New Narrative CEO Julie Ibrahim said: “So we adapt to each person’s needs.” That adaptation is reflected in every aspect of the program.
Our first priority is to accommodate participants. In fact, New Narrative ensures each participant graduates from the program with a clean renter record by providing guidance and offering multiple chances in case participants fail. .
Without a typical family support system to help them navigate their real-world experiences, such as applying for housing, paying bills, and maintaining good relationships with their landlords, many ex-foster youth end up on the streets. .
“Sometimes when participants arrive at the program, they don’t really know what their goals are. “Many of the participants who come here are fed up with the facilities and treatment.”
With that in mind, the program is designed to be as individualized as possible and it is up to the participant whether or not they choose to work with a therapist. In what we call it, each young person participating in the program decides what their independence will be like.
Voice speaks before a new story WW“I had no one to really care for me. Now that I am able to maintain a full-time job, things I have never experienced before offer me the opportunity to work on myself. They gave me.”
Once housing is secured, The New Narrative will help participants find and maintain a full-time job, apply for food stamps, navigate healthcare, set up treatment services, and help those interested. This is where Ascending Flow comes in.
Co-founded by hip-hop artist Talilo Marfil and his partner Thy Tran, Ascending Flow is a much-needed creative opportunity in an otherwise overwhelming experience. provide.
“Being vulnerable is brave,” says Murphy. As a former incarcerated person, he knows first-hand what many people in the program are going through. “We want these young people to have a successful transition into adulthood.”
Ascending Flow eases that transition through artist development. Stop by to see walls covered in murals and hear someone strumming a guitar (Boyce is currently taking lessons). It’s all part of the Ascending Flow motto, and he reflects the traditional recovery mindset of one flow at a time.