Finn is a newer staff member and has hit the ground running and taken a lot of ownership of his role. He is an active and crucial part of our team and we love having him work on the third shift!
1. How would you describe your job in a few words to a stranger?
I work at Act Together with youth 11-17 who are either in foster care, runaway/homeless or seeking respite services from their home situation.
2. What’s your typical day at work like?
I work the 3rd shift, so typically I come into work and tell the clients goodnight before they fall asleep. Then I make sure they are safe throughout the night and do all the necessary paperwork and file auditing.
3. What is your favorite thing about working at Youth Focus?
I like seeing how the clients improve over their time with Youth Focus, especially when I connect with the clients and they open up to me. It feels like I am taking an active part in helping them navigate and figure out life, even though I only know these clients for the 90 days or less that they are at the Crisis Shelter.
4. What is one thing you wish the general public knew about Youth Focus?
I wish the public knew more about the respite services that Youth Focus offers, and the importance of mental health services for youth. Adolescence is a hard time for everyone, and more youth and teens need to know that talking to a therapist would help them.
5. What energizes you the most outside of work?
I love learning languages and playing with my dog and cats.
6. What’s the best advice you were ever given? Who was it from?
My host dad from my study abroad semester in Germany imparted a lot of advice, but I think the best advice he showed me was that it is important to take time to relax in nature and feel connected to your surroundings. That hour or so can relax you and make you feel better and more centered.
7. If you could choose a superpower, what would it be?
The power to speak every language fluently.
8. What advice would you give to your teenage self?
Honestly, keep on doing what you were doing. It obviously worked out; you’re doing good work that you enjoy.
9. What’s the biggest misconception people have about the youth you work with?
I think a lot of people think that the clients are hopeless. Sure, clients might have a bad history and previous disrupted placements, but there is some underlying reason for these behaviors that is not being addressed. Addressing this reason and these behaviors can help the clients have a better quality of life.
10. What’s one song you have completely memorized?
99 Luftballons by Nena
