“Care is lonely.”

“Care is complicated.”

“Care is exhausting.”

“Care is demanding.”

“Care is tumultuous.”

“Care is different for everyone.”

These opening lines from a new theatre work-in-progress describe how it feels to be a young person in Ontario’s child welfare system.

The quotes were taken word-for-word from former youth in care from across the province as part of a project called Shared Stories.

A script reading held May 8 at the Young People’s Theatre in Toronto was part of an event for the project that celebrated the “little wins” in the lives of young people in and from care, ahead of Children and Youth in Care Day on May 14.

So, what is a little win to the youth involved in the project? The question was asked to them months before, during the workshopping of the script.

“We were invited to share anything we achieved that made us feel good,” Sarah Magee, a former youth-in-care who co-hosted the event, said in her remarks during the reception.

“In fact, I believe the use of ‘little’ was not to specify the importance our wins should have, but rather a way to minimize pressure, and welcome wins of all sizes, and acknowledge that all wins are worthy,” she said.

The live event involved many former youth from care, who hosted the festivities and curated the content, which included youth performances featuring original music and poetry, an art exhibition, and a catered reception.

Several youth shared their own stories during the reception, offering firsthand insight into the realities of growing up in care, and sharing their “little wins.”

For Sadeqah T., that little win was music.

“I first discovered the power of music when I was about seven,” she said as she read her spoken word piece. “It was the one thing that kept me grounded.” 

“No matter where I was, or whose house, whose car, whose life I’d landed in, music held me together when everything else felt like it was falling apart.”

Organized by the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS), and the Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC), the event continued the #ForgetMeNot campaign, which emphasizes that children and youth in and from care must not be forgotten, and still need support.

The theatre script, which was read by professional actors for the May 8 performance, has been in development since September 2024, and focuses on the Shared Stories youths’ experiences and challenges as they transition out of care.

“Shared Stories Initiative is a collective of young people from around the province with histories of care experience who, through art, performance, writing and photography, aim to share their stories,” said David Lewis-Peart, the project’s organizer and youth services analyst for the Ontario Association of Children’s Aid Societies (OACAS).

The weekend of March 22 saw 16 youth from across Ontario gather in Toronto to participate in theatre, photography and writing workshops in preparation for the May 8 event.

The weekend workshops focused on theatre exercises and provided participants with opportunities to engage in creative expression through photography and writing. (Lisa Yeung, who lead a writing workshop that weekend, is involved with the project, and also a Centennial College instructor. Centennial College publishes the Toronto Observer).

Watch: Youth in care come together in Toronto to work on Shared Stories project

Participants also had the chance to socialize and build a sense of community with others who have shared similar life experiences.

The verbatim theatre play is being co-created by a group of youth with lived experience in the foster-care system, in collaboration with Lewis-Peart and director and Humber College child and youth care professor Wolfgang Vachon.

“Verbatim theatre is using the exact words of people to create scripts … sharing stories, telling experiences about being in, growing up and transitioning out of the child-welfare system,” Vachon said.

The play focuses on the stories of the youth involved, giving them the freedom to express their experiences through theatre.

It aims to create an engaging and authentic portrayal of their thoughts, emotions, wins and challenges.

“I think arts-based mediums are important for all young people, and I don’t think that’s unique to this group,” said Lewis-Peart. “But especially for young people from care, who have challenges that might arise that keep them from being able to share the fullness of their stories and experiences. Arts-based mediums are an opportunity, I think, for them to express those things that they have lived through, overcome, and are celebrating.”

The workshop weekend featured activities such as introduction games, personal storytelling and photography. One of the participants’ favourite activities involved tossing a ball and sharing a thought or feeling in a single sentence, which was the basis for the opening lines of the script

“It’s very uplifting and inspiring to be here,” said Maxx Behrens, 20, a member of the Shared Stories group who co-hosted the event with Magee. “It’s our job to come together, band together, and be that megaphone.”

Limited supports for youth transitioning out of care

After turning 18, youth in care begin transitioning into independent living. This shift can lead to significant challenges, including housing instability, financial insecurity, and limited support systems.

On average, between 800 to 1,000 youth age out of care each year, and face disproportionately high rates of homelessness, low educational attainment, unemployment, post-traumatic stress, and substance abuse.

“We all have different experiences, and we all have different hurdles we had to jump through. But, at the end of the day, we are all in that same room trying to advocate for change,” said Damien Anderson, 20, a participant in the group and the event’s third co-host.

The performance on May 8 aimed to address this gap by allowing the audience, many of whom were also youth in/from care, to hear firsthand accounts of these experiences.

The production was also intended to serve as an educational tool, providing insight into the realities of growing up in care.

“It seeks to be a place for individuals to play, express and create. It seeks to be a place for individuals to grow, heal and understand. It seeks to be a process to teach others about the experience and hopefully raise awareness,” Vachon said.

The team behind the play, which will continue to be developed, is hopeful that it will spark important conversations and lead to greater understanding and support for youth in care and those transitioning out of care.

“To all the youth in attendance tonight, we hope there’s been a sense of visibility and understanding, care and community,” Magee said during the event’s closing remarks.

“Thank you for joining us in celebrating our day.”

With files from Lisa Yeung