She knows only too well the frustrations of the child welfare system, having herself survived upwards of 160 placements before she turned 17.

But thanks to the network of supports in place to help students achieve success, Red River College grad Rebecca Begg is now working to improve the system from within — as a support worker with community advocacy group New Directions.

“When you’re genuinely interested in a person’s well being, you go to a whole other level in your relationship,” says Begg, the first RRC grad to earn her Child and Youth Care diploma through a joint program offered by the College and local community resource Ndinawe. “That’s what these kids need, because they’ve got big stories to tell.”

Begg knows about big stories: A few years ago, she was a widowed mother of two who’d only reached Grade 9. These days — having passed her RRC courses with flying colours — she’s helping to meet the needs of other at-risk women and children in Winnipeg, by framing the lessons she learned in College through the lens of her own struggles and success.

“I have no illusions that I’m going to save these kids, or that I’m going to be the one and only positive influence in their lives,” says Begg. “I’m just there to plant the seed — to help them make the changes they need to make, and to walk with them in their journey.”

Click here for more information about New Directions.

Click here to learn more about the Child and Youth Care program at Red River College.