Moments of hope provide a breakthrough

Most of us get frustrated when something unplanned happens – the washing machine breaks down, we miss the bus, or someone keeps changing plans – and we are able to overcome the frustration and disappointment relatively quickly and apply ourselves to finding a solution. Many of our young people at Youth in Transition, however, experience life differently and do not have the same levels of resilience. An event like this can throw them into a highly anxious state. But with the support of the Youth in Transition team and the wider community, they can experience moments of hope – moments which are of huge significance to them.

Take the case of Jenny, who relies on her car not just to get around, but as a place of security and safety and the place she keeps her everything she owns. When it broke down, she called the team in tears. She didn’t know what to do and felt pushed to her limit. The AA was called to help, and they provided far more than a car assessment and a tow to the garage. The service engineer’s reading of the situation, compassion and kindness helped Jenny see the good in people, helped her to see there was a solution and there were people that cared about her. These moments of hope have a huge positive impact on our young people. It’s a reminder to all of us that situations are often not as they first appear – the service engineer had no idea about Jenny’s background and fragility – but he had the opportunity to unknowingly help someone with a kind word, deed and just a simple smile. In this case, he saved someone’s life that day.