It’s an understatement to say that from the day she was born Jill Wilson’s life has been extremely tough. Her mother, who had her at age 20, used drugs and alcohol to numb the pain of family sexual abuse and sought protection from gang-affiliated men, who continued the cycle of violence. Abuse and neglect defined Wilson’s childhood. By the time she was 13, she had lived in no fewer than 23 foster homes.
At 13, determined to be independent, she ran away. She met some girls who were flush with cash from having sex for money and living in hotels. She joined them and before long, her life became intertwined with gangs and violence,
It felt like her lot in life was set — but Wilson’s history as a survivor of sexual exploitation would turn out to be the key to rebuilding her life. In June, the 38-year-old stood at the front of a gymnasium decorated with black, red, yellow and white balloons, beaming in her cap and gown as a newly minted graduate of the Ndinawe child- and youth- care certificate program, accredited by Red River College in Winnipeg.
The social work program is different in one key way: “lived history” is a prerequisite for admission. The students get an educational foundation in year one, along with life skills and personal healing work.
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