Stepping Stones: Grief Support for Kids in Vancouver

0:00It's April 9th. You're listening to Canada News today, AI-powered local news. I'm Corey with the story. A free grief support group called Stepping Stones is changing lives for kids and teens in Vancouver. Run by Peace Health Hospice, it helps children ages 4-19 deal with loss through art, writing, and group talks. Take 16-year-old Winter Middle Mass, who lost her grandma last year and couldn't process the pain at first. Her mom found the program during those tough early days, and after a year in, Winter says it's likened her load big time. She's made real friends there, learned her mixed emotions are normal and feels way less alone. Meanwhile, 11-year-old Aries Taver joined after losing his dad this year. He even shared suicidal thoughts at school and got teased by classmates, but the group gave him a safe spot to open up. His mom, still recovering from her own struggles, calls it a lifeline for both of them. Supervisors and volunteers stress how kids speak their own language with peers who get

1:02it, unlike at school where things can turn cruel. One volunteer with 15 years in sees kids transform just from showing up once or twice. They're opening spots for a new group, starting May 4th, so families can call 360-696-5120 for intake. If Greece weighing heavy on a young one, this peer-powered space might just be the game changer they need.