When Diana Elabd answered a one-off Facebook post from her old high school guidance counsellor nine years ago, she had no idea she was beginning a journey of support that would see her gain two little sisters for life.
“I remember the post saying how she had been a long-time volunteer with the Catholic Children’s Aid Society, and that they were looking for youth mentor volunteers. In this case, the team was challenged to find someone able to travel back and forth to maintain a relationship or even meet these girls who were living with a foster parent in Wasaga Beach,” Elabd said.
Elabd soon found herself a volunteer mentor in CCAS’s all-ages Youth Mentorship program. Not long after, the then-28-year-old found herself taking the lengthy drive from Aurora, Ont., to Wasaga Beach to connect with Julissa Linton, a 12-year-old girl, now paired with Elabd as youth and youth mentor.
While her first contact might have been through simple calls with Linton’s foster mom to arrange visits, it was another milestone that Elabd remembers as when her decision to help officially sank in.
“The very first kind of activity for everyone’s comfort level was being invited to her 13th birthday because it involved some of her family, extended family and foster siblings. I remember not wanting to rush things for her, but that initial time went really well. Compared to who she’s become now, she was so shy, so quiet — I still think it was adorable,” she said.
From initial conversations and ice breakers, the two began to bond over early structured outings every three to five weeks, enjoying simple activities like go-karting, indoor rock climbing, lunch dates and beach days. However, it wasn’t long before a bond much deeper than volunteering began to form. Outings quickly turned into something that felt less structured, with Elabd comparing the visits with Linton and her younger sister Sarah to spending time with her own friends and family members, and something both looked forward to.
It was around this time too that, even amidst growing older and taking on various life changes, including family loss and uncertainty, Linton recalls fondly connecting with Elabd less as a mentor and more as a big sister.
“ Even though it was so long ago, I do remember Diana always being so nice and open to listening and talking about my feelings. Especially as a young girl and then as a teenager, you have a lot of these (different) feelings. It’s good to have somebody who’s older and can give you advice on that kind of stuff,” she told The Catholic Register.
For as much as Linton was getting out of the relationship, it impacted Elabd greatly as well. In a full-circle moment, she would end up joining CCAS professionally just over three years ago as a team administrative assistant. She described her nervousness about potentially having to stop mentoring due to potential conflict of interest, now thankful for the supervisors and volunteer coordinators who advocated for her to continue after seeing the value of the relationship she had forged with Linton.
Speaking to the Register while on maternity leave, she shared how both volunteering and working with CCAS have given her deeper insight into the challenges youth in care face, such as frequent instability and trauma, and made her even more appreciative of the mentor program.
Dylan Santos, CCAS’s coordinator of volunteer services, shared that roughly 15 to 20 volunteers for the mentorship program remain active, many often remaining connected as long as the youth remain under the agency’s care.
Elabd would also become a supporter for Sarah as well, something Linton remains ever grateful for.
“ It was really nice to know that she had my sister’s back when I couldn’t, after moving away when I turned 18. She’s managed to become a big sister to her again, and my sister knows that she can always go to her for whatever, whenever,” she said.
With a relationship that has evolved far beyond the formal program, and even though Linton is nearing the point of no longer requiring care as she turns 22 this year, Elabd has told her the relationship will continue as long as she wants, with the three staying in regular contact.
That contact perhaps felt most complete last November, when the sisters joined their mentor at her baby shower, celebrating a life milestone the same way she did for them many years before.
“She calls herself my son’s auntie, and she will be that role in his life. He’s going to be blessed getting to know her as he grows up,” Elabd said.
With National Volunteer Week running from April 19 to 25, both Elabd and Linton look back on last fall with gratitude for the program that brought them together.
“This program has led to one of the most rewarding things I’ve done in my life. If people are considering it, the worst case scenario is ending up where you started, but the best case scenario sees you richer for the experience and the relationships that you build, which makes a very big difference in the life of youth,” Elabd said.
A difference so big, Linton hopes to one day pay forward the same gift her mentor gave her.
“ The way that she has permanently changed my life positively has made me want to go and do that for somebody else, especially a young woman, and help her navigate the world the way she helped me for all those years,” she said.
