A day in the life of a Youth Diversion Worker 

Ever wonder what a Youth Diversion Worker does? We got up close and personal with Nicole Netzband to get a glimpse into her day-to-day life working with some of our city's most vulnerable youth. 

WHAT DOES A YOUTH DIVERSION WORKER DO? 

A Youth Diversion Worker supports youth to either avoid or rapidly exit homelessness. This may look like helping them to reunite with family at home or finding temporary accommodations as they strive towards securing permanent housing. To fully meet youth where they’re at, Diversion Workers have to respond quickly when youth are in crisis and about to be living on the street or they could risk losing contact with that youth for weeks at a time.  

“Whether you’re physically helping them move, helping them to interpret a form they need, applying for government benefits, or just being that person to talk to when they are making big or small decisions about their life, I can say the most important thing I have learned is to just show up and be there for them as yourself. To be someone walking with them so they feel supported, and that they matter.” 

WHO ARE THE YOUTH THAT YOU WORK WITH? 

Nicole works with young people aged 16 to 25, who access us through various channels such as the Calgary Drop-In Centre, the Mustard Seed, other partner agencies or who independently reach out to us for help themselves. Depending on the situation, workers can spend anywhere from 3 to 6 months working with a specific youth to reconnect them to the community and ensure they are set up to avoid homelessness in the future.  

“These are the young adults who have maybe just spent their first night in a shelter or are couch surfing and have no idea where to start to become self-sufficient. Or maybe they’ve aged out of the Child Welfare system but still require support to take those next steps into independent adulthood. A lot of the youth don’t have a typical support network like family, and that can make the process of becoming independent and finding stability even more of a challenge. I think a lot of us take for granted the privileges we grew up with that these youth don’t have, and the difference those privileges can make throughout your path in life.” 

If asked to describe what a "typical" youth looks like, most people might be surprised to find that they don’t fit into stereotypes. Initially, it may not be obvious that they have experienced intense trauma or are facing significant barriers that led them to seek assistance from social services. These youth come from diverse backgrounds, education levels, cultures, and life experiences. Although youth from some demographics do access Trellis' services more frequently than others because of systemic barriers such as institutional racism, ableism, and discrimination. 

WHAT DOES A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A YOUTH DIVERSION WORKER LOOK LIKE? 

As a Youth Diversion Worker, Nicole is always on the go. Some days begin with meeting a youth at a shelter and beginning the work to help them to find stable housing. Then it can transition to reaching out to engage the youth's family and facilitating the repair of fractured relationships or family breakdown that contributed to their homelessness. Sometimes days are full of phone calls and paperwork, while other days are spent driving around the city meeting youth at different locations that are convenient for them.  

Every day presents new challenges and working with each youth is unique. Diversion Workers need to be agile as they navigate the dynamic nature of the role, supporting each youth to find stability in housing and reignite dreams for their future. 

“When I think about my what my average day looks like in this sector, it’s really a matter of being accessible for my clients and doing whatever I can to help my colleagues.” 

HOW DID YOU GET INTO THIS WORK? 

“When I first started with Trellis, I worked at Avenue 15 – our youth homeless shelter – before eventually moving to my role with Youth Diversion. I came into it with no expectations and discovered a passion for the work that you can only find when you’re doing it on the ground level, and I was able to follow this career path and grow with Trellis’ support.”  

Youth Diversion Workers come from a variety of backgrounds with different education and experience. Some have degrees in social work or psychology, some have worked with children in recreational settings, while others helped youth in educational environments. Regardless of what they bring to the role, all share a deep passion for supporting youth to navigate life’s challenges and reach to their full potential.  

HOW DO YOU STAY MOTIVATED DURING THE CHALLENGING DAYS? 

Working to end youth homelessness is an incredibly rewarding and fulfilling job as it revolves around forming meaningful connections and making a real difference in the lives of youth. However, it also takes a large emotional investment and can become overwhelming without adequate personal support and boundaries. While people who get into this type of work inherently want to help others, it's crucial to prioritize personal well-being with a healthy work-life balance.  

“For me, it comes down to being patient, slowing down and setting expectations so my clients know how they can reach me and when I’ll be able to meet with them next. And on the harder days what keeps me going is the hope and optimism that our communities are going to keep getting stronger, and we’ll get to see more folks living out the lives they truly want. Even getting the small wins like a past client reaching out to share their gratitude or seeing a client signing their first rental agreement with a landlord can make it all worth it.” 

HOW CAN PEOPLE SUPPORT ENDING YOUTH HOMELESSNESS? 

Aside from volunteering and donating to organizations that are working to end homelessness, taking time to learn more about the realities for young people in our city is important. Addressing misconceptions about youth in homelessness is a first steps in changing how we collectively address the issues they face. Going a step further would be advocating with elected representatives for continued funding for measures that prevent youth homelessness, such as family reunification support, after-school programming and accessible recreation opportunities. Additionally, being a champion for inclusive communities, and increased investment in affordable housing and rental infrastructure is another way for people to get involved in ending homelessness for future generations. 

“I think people talk a lot about what they feel is best for other people’s lives, but we’re not talking about theoretical concepts here – we are talking about real people, right here in Calgary and surrounding areas that need support - sometimes even with basic needs like food and transit. It’s the idea of changing the narrative that this struggle is something they deserve or caused to happen, to recognizing that a lot of these barriers are beyond folks’ control, and they are genuinely doing their best with the experiences they have had.” 

THANK YOU NICOLE 

Nicole’s journey as a Youth Diversion Worker at Trellis offers a glimpse into what it takes to end homelessness for youth in our city. Her experience highlights the transformative power of human connection and the profound impact that even the smallest victories can have as we strive for a more inclusive and compassionate society for all.