Hunter is a 22-year-old who joined the In Motion & Momentum Plus program while navigating many barriers, including living with Autism, which can sometimes make social interaction and reading social cues more challenging. Hunter also lives in a rural community and does not have a driver’s license, which limits his access to employment opportunities. During his interview, Hunter explained that he hoped the program would help him overcome anxiety when meeting new people, increase his motivation and gain an understanding of and utilize conflict resolution skills and strategies. Hunter was upfront in his interview stating he may drop out of the program if he doesn’t feel comfortable with the other participants or the program content.

The Facilitators were worried Hunter would possibly stop attending once he realized he was the youngest and the only male attending the 10-week program. However, Hunter has not only persevered, but he has flourished. Hunter has been fully engaged and open to having the hard conversations where he has allowed himself to be vulnerable and share his barriers with the group, which allowed the group to make suggestions on how he can address these issues and overcome his challenges. Hunter now speaks with more confidence and tends to be one of the first to contribute to the conversation.

As a part of the curriculum, the participants are to work together to decide upon and execute a Community Project. This project required a couple of people to visit local stores/businesses to ask for donations to help fund the project. Hunter volunteered to be a part of this team. Volunteering to do this was a big step for Hunter and in the end, he was an integral part of this team as he was successful in securing a donation of a gift basket worth over $400 retail which was used as a raffle item to raise money for a mental health and addictions program in Stratford Ontario.

With his newfound confidence, Hunter has set clear goals that will help propel him forward. He plans to obtain his G1 then G2 license, with a longer term goal of getting his DZ or AZ license and pursuing a career as a Heavy Equipment Operator. Hunter is also working toward greater independence, with plans to move out on his own within the next year. Together, these goals reflect the meaningful growth Hunter has experienced through the In Motion & Momentum Plus program.

“IM&M has gotten me out of the house and given me a safe place to come to, a place where I have learned a lot about myself and has given me the opportunity to see what I want my future to look like!”