My mother’s mood could change in an instant, without warning, so I was constantly walking on eggshells. I was careful about everything I said or did so she wouldn’t get angry.
Janis
On an ordinary morning, Janis, aged 9, was eating breakfast and watching her favourite show, when her mother told her, “You’re going into care.” Just like that, out of the blue. That same day, Janis packed her bag, was placed with her first foster family, and set out into the unknown, on a path laden with challenges and learning experiences.
Today, she is a strong, determined, and resilient woman who is sharing her story to bring hope to others.
A childhood marked by instability
Before ending up in the child protection system, Janis grew up in a home where everything seemed perfect. She had everything a child could ask for, from new clothes and a well-stocked pantry to video game consoles, art classes, and ballet lessons. But her life was far from perfect.
With an absent father and a struggling mother, her brother had no choice but to take on the role of a parent, even though he was barely nine years older than her. Even though there was no shortage of material comfort, the emotional void was overwhelming.
To add to the instability, the family moved about ten times in a short span, each move forcing the children to change schools and leave their friends behind. When her brother left home at the age of 16, Janis found herself alone with a mother who was completely overwhelmed and unable to take responsibility.
“I had always been well-behaved, but she started threatening to put me into care if I didn’t listen. I was afraid I wasn’t perfect enough for her to keep me.”
And then, one day, without anything in particular happening, her mother followed through on the threat. “I don’t blame her. I know she gave me everything she could,” says the young woman.
A chance to just be a kid
Over the next few years, Janis lived with three different foster families and maintained a strained relationship with her biological family. There were, thankfully, some bright spots along the way—moments that helped her become the strong young woman she is today.
“My first foster family showed me what was out there in the world. I was a curious kid and spent a lot of time outside riding my bike, watching the stars, and camping. I also started working at the family’s grocery store at a very young age, and I loved it! I’m still friends with my foster mother’s granddaughter. She’s a social worker today.”
School as a safe space and stepping stone
As a teen, Janis went through traumatic experiences that shook her confidence and brought old wounds to the surface. While those experiences left lasting marks, she refused to give up and let them break her. She was a high-achieving, hard-working student, so school became her safe place, and academic success became the foundation of her future.
I loved high school! I was in the International Studies program, got involved in tons of activities, and built close friendships with my classmates. School was my escape, my safe haven. It gave me the sense of belonging I needed.
Janis
Strength through struggle
Faced with hardship and pain, Janis found the strength and drive to keep moving forward. “My life experience meant that I had no choice but to become resourceful and self-reliant quickly. I’ve learned to develop strategies, and I immediately start looking for solutions when confronted with a problem. I can’t admit defeat. Giving up is not in my vocabulary!”
The road to self-reliance
With determination as her compass, Janis took her first steps into adulthood at 18 while pursuing a college degree in film studies. But she wasn’t alone—her caseworker played a key role in helping her navigate this pivotal transition.
My caseworker was amazing. She didn’t just tell me about resources, she came along to show them to me and explain how they worked. She even helped me move! My transition out of care went smoothly thanks to her. I was ready and I had everything I needed.30
Janis
The crucial role of the Fondation
When Janis was still in high school, her caseworker told her about the Transitioning toward an autonomous life program run by the Fondation des jeunes de la DPJ. That information opened up her world and widened the range of what her future could hold.
The Fondation provided Janis with an apartment start-up kit, covered her college and university tuition fees, and paid for transit and school supplies to make sure she could settle in and pursue a higher education without worrying about money even though she had to provide for herself.
Knowing that the Fondation could help me pay for my education gave me immense peace of mind. I was able to study while covering other costs, like bills, rent, and groceries. If it hadn’t been for the Fondation, university might not have been within reach.
Janis
The generosity of our donors provided more than financial support—it gave Janis the confidence to believe in her dreams.
What really kept me going was the knowledge that someone out there could see my potential and believed in me enough to support me. I was important enough for someone to invest in me! That gave me wings.
Janis
A message of hope
Janis graduated in December 2024 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and is now confident and optimistic about the future. Alongside a job she loves, she actively volunteers with organizations like CARE Jeunesse and contributes to meaningful projects that are close to her heart. Her emotional insight, personal history, and introspective nature came through in the play Monstres, performed to acclaim this past winter at Salle Fred-Barry, and in a children’s book released by Société de recherche en orientation humaine (SROH).
In Janis’s mind, there’s no doubt: supporting the Foundation can change lives. “It gives young people hope and sends a clear message that, even with a difficult past, they can hold on to their dreams. It’s the best gift anyone can give a youth in care.”