Jennifer’s story was not one she liked to tell. She had fled abuse and the breakdown of her family to live on the streets of Toronto. Street life soon led to drug abuse. As a homeless, heroin-addicted teenager, she had low self-esteem, her skills remained undiscovered and it seemed hopeless to imagine anything different.

Then she heard about Sketch - working arts for street involved and homeless youth - in downtown Toronto. It was a place where for a few hours each week she could find some peace and feel safe. There were no admission requirements and she didn’t have to tell her story at the door.

“We don’t need to know what has happened to them,” says Rudy Ruttimann, the General Manager of Sketch. “But their stories do come out, naturally and organically through their art.”

Sketch is a large studio space where young people come together to paint, sew, work with wood, do photography, make music, and create prints and silk screens. It is a place of self-expression, creativity and, above all else, hope. They are funded and supported by a wide range of partners, including the City of Toronto.

Jennifer started by occasionally attending the Open Studio hours that take place twice a week at Sketch. There she discovered that she had an aptitude for painting - a way to tell her story that had power and meaning for her. She started to feel that maybe she did have something to offer. Maybe she had a future after all.

Jennifer reached a turning point in her life when she joined Sketch’s drug project, an intensive twelve week program that helps drug addicted young people to look at their issues through artistic expression. Jennifer resolved to break her drug addiction and started taking methadone.

“Taking methadone means that you have a difficult and painful barrier to cross each and every day,” says Rudy. “Our role is to help and support them to cross those barriers.”

Jennifer continued to attend the Open Studio hours at every opportunity and participated in Art freeSchool, a series of workshops over 8 weeks where young people work with established artists. She also received help from Sketch’s Future Options Coordinator to find stable, subsidized housing.

Her art was now being featured in outdoor arts exhibitions organized by Sketch in partnership with the City of Toronto. It was also selling through the storefront space provided by the City.

As she felt new possibilities opening for her, Jennifer applied for the one-year paid position of artist-in-residency. Unfortunately, she didn’t get the job. But that setback doubled her resolve to pursue a career in the arts. With the help of the Future Options Coordinator, she worked to complete her high school diploma and apply to the Ontario College of Art and Design.

“The creative process allows for some remarkable transformations,” says Rudy. “We don’t design programs for young people; we engage them in designing the programs that they need. Ultimately, they are inspired to live and embrace their future.”

Four years after coming to Sketch, Jennifer is now in the third year of study at the college. Another self discovery Jennifer made is that she is quite good at marketing and working with the public. In fact, she was hired by Sketch during the summer to organize the vending space.