Street Cred

Beryl Bacchus had a problem. iHuman’s drop-in space, HYPE, which once served 80 youths every week, was now meeting the needs of 500. As the executive director of iHuman Youth Society, Bacchus needed to find room. So, HYPE relocated to a larger area of iHuman’s building and rebranded to go with their new digs: iSucceed. iSucceed supports marginalized youth, ages 12 to 24, by meeting their immediate needs through comprehensive, wraparound services such as mental-health support, access to healthcare, housing referrals, and more. iSucceed is also the gateway to iHuman’s arts programs which provide an outlet for self expression, personal healing and growth.

One of those youths is Diamond, an artist and aspiring public speaker who first came to iHuman a few years ago. That first day at iHuman, she admits, she was “mad at the world.” “My mom forced me to be here. But it’s how I met my favourite worker, Delilah,” Diamond says. The people she met at iHuman welcomed her. Now, she says, they’re a second family. iSucceed is the first point of contact for youths coming to iHuman. The lowbarrier space means youths can get connected to services — whether it’s working with a navigator to figure out their next steps in iHuman’s programs or just doing their laundry. “If a youth is ready for it, our team works with them individually to ensure we’re giving them quality tailored programming and we’re meeting them where they’re at and helping them reach their goals,” Bacchus says. Through art therapy and studio spaces, youths develop skills to empower and express themselves. Art programs are a big draw for youths who come through iHuman’s doors. Not many services for at-risk youths include access to a theatre and indoor spraypaint booths.

With an $80,000 Community Grant from Edmonton Community Foundation (ECF), iHuman is able to continue offering services and paying their staff navigators, the first people youths encounter when coming to iSucceed.“We recognize that the effectiveness of a charity’s programs is directly tied to its staffing capacity,” Dave Chowne, ECF’s Grants Associate says. “By investing in the people who deliver services, we help ensure that organizations like iHuman can create meaningful, lasting impact.” For iHuman, expanding its capacity was crucial to keeping pace with the unexpected growth of the iSucceed program. “With the support of the money that Edmonton Community Foundation gave us, we were able to handle that growth that happened that we weren’t necessarily expecting,” Bacchus says.

Navigators build relationships with youths, understanding their individual needs. There is no one-size-fits-all solution — iSucceed takes a holistic approach to the barriers and challenges youths face. “Delilah played the biggest role in my life. She opened doors for me,” Diamond says. “She has to be my biggest inspiration. She made me want to volunteer.” One place Diamond volunteers at is iHuman’s Woven Journey, a support group where young moms can connect, cook together and access resources like the baby supply bank and gain parenting skills.“I love seeing the joy on their faces when they get that support,” she says.

Fostering community and resilience is at the heart of every iHuman program — building relationships over shared meals, helping youths develop their own sense of power through the arts, and providing a safe place to go sets the groundwork for youths to thrive.

“We kind of laugh and say we’d like to think we have a little bit of street cred with the youth,” – Beryl Bacchus

They’ve built that street cred over almost 30 years of serving the youth in Edmonton’s core. Founded in 1997, art has always been central to iHuman’s offerings. It’s not just for fun — it’s a key component of the services iHuman provides. A shower and a meal is a starting point. And then art plays a transformative role in their healing. “That evolution from when they first come to see us and they’re in LiNKS [Mental Health Clinic] and doing art therapy to actually utilizing our art studios is really spectacular to see,” says Bacchus. “Some of the talent that comes out of pain unfortunately is pretty amazing to see.” Diamond echoes those sentiments.“There’s been a drastic change in my life. It changed for the better. My art hangs everywhere,” she says. “These people give me guidance to be better.”

Bacchus says Diamond has come far during her time at iHuman, pursuing her public speaking goals by joining Toastmasters and getting involved with the Edmonton Youth Council. “There’s some stigma out there that kids who are homeless or experiencing trauma are misbehaved,” says Bacchus. “People have to know that there’s some really tough situations our youth are navigating. iHuman is here to support them.” Diamond adds, “I wish people understood the youth here. It’s not just for homeless youth. It’s a place where everyone accepts you.”

In a challenging funding climate, with more youths seeking help than ever, sustainable funding for these programs is crucial — donating time, money or items means youths in need can continue to count on iHuman.