Amber Kendall is known for her smile. And at a local vintage clothing shop, she’s also known for her fashion sense.
Amber visits Frankie Watson’s vintage clothing shop through her participation in Garth Homer Society’s (GHS) Dreams Program. Styling and selecting outfits for the mannequin at the Cheers Vintage Collective is one of the ways Amber expresses her interests and creativity along with her radiant positivity.
“Every week Amber puts together a totally different look, and sometimes she has a theme or a concept that she’s excited about. One week she was really stoked on an action figure, and she styled the outfit all in red. It’s fun to see what kind of outfits she puts together,” Frankie says. “It’s a joy to have her come into the shop.”
Building relationships in the community, like Amber’s with Frankie, is a big part of the GHS Dreams program.
The program supports people with complex care needs who may face physical barriers to engaging in the community and focuses on strong, trusting relationships between people and dedicated, skilled staff.
As Amber’s keyworker Kelly Harwood understands where she’s coming from and what makes her laugh. “Our sense of humour really lines up, and we have a lot of fun,” Kelly says.
Kelly creates programing and activities that support Amber’s interests, like musicals and musical theatre, for example. Together they researched some of the storylines and themes of her favourite shows, like the Phantom of the Opera and the Sound of Music.
She also loves to join with friends for a GHS activity called Dance your Abilities, Kelly says. “Everyone gets a chance to show what kind of dance they like to do—Amber’s move is a kick out—and everyone joins in with each other’s dance moves.”
That one-on-one support provided in the Dreams Program helps create the conditions for growth and exploration, Program Coordinator Kristin Wagemakers says.
“Our focus is on helping somebody have the best day they can in line with their strengths, abilities, and desires,” she says. “It’s about letting people create and build their confidence–giving them the validation they deserve.”
The vibrant culture at Garth Homer Society that supports Amber’s social connections and creativity is a huge plus, according to Amber’s mom, Sandy. When researching next steps after Amber completed her Victoria High School program in 2024, Sandy visited Garth Homer for the first time.
“It was so exciting to see that it’s almost like a school environment with so many clients and so many staff, all energetic and busy, with so much laughter in the passages,” she says. “I thought, ‘I really like it here, and I know my daughter will like it a lot. This is what I want for my daughter.’”
“From day one, she slotted in beautifully. Amber’s very social, and the staff are so welcoming, and her peers—the other clients—are so welcoming too. It’s motivating for her, with a lot of stimulation.”
“So that gives me and my husband time to do our thing, to focus on our work, on getting things done, whatever we have to do. And with the knowledge that Amber is content where she is. She’s in a safe place. It gives such peace of mind for my husband and I. Not only has she got her good friends there, but it’s like a second family.”
Extending that peace into the future is on Sandy’s mind, like many Garth Homer Society families.
“Housing for Amber is a massive consideration for us when my husband and I are too old to look after her,” she says. “We love having her at home with us. We do love the fact that she goes to Garth Homer in the daytime, but we love having her at home the rest of the time. But we are getting older, and what happens in 10 years?”
“I’m already struggling to lift her, even though I do have the equipment. But what happens later? It is a massive consideration. We need housing options to grow, not to be diminished.”
In the meantime, Amber’s network of buddies and support team in the GHS Dreams program enriches their lives, Sandy says.
“I don’t know what I would do, quite frankly, if it wasn’t for Garth Homer. I think things would be so dull and so boring. You can only do so much as a parent. It’s not just for Amber. It’s for the parents as well. We want our children to be happy, and we want our young adults to be happy and content. It’s always on our minds. We need that for them.”
