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Introduction

 


My name is Adetope Obasa but I go by Tope. For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed working with children. At the age of 12/13, I started teaching children Sunday school in my church. As I got older, my interest became more youth-inclined. 

I have a place in my heart for helping at-risk youth. I think this desire came from the unfairness that youth are treated with when they are in situations beyond their control. On the outside, one may see a delinquent or angry youth, however, if one looks deeper, there is usually more going on. Most of which was/is out of their control. A child cannot choose their parents or family situations. They should be given extra support and care, and not labelled and dismissed. 

As I started my higher education, I came to discover the field of child and youth care, but due to extenuating circumstances, I was unable to get into the field at the time. Instead, I volunteered with various organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters Ottawa, Pathways to Education, and with various programs run out of Carleton University. 

It has been about 10 years now and although I have not been involved in the industry, my desire to work with at-risk youth has not gone away so I decided to take a leap and enroll in the Child and Youth Care program at Algonquin College and here I am. I am hoping that with the knowledge and placement experience gained from this program, I will finally be able to get to do the work that I believe is my purpose in this world.

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