Eleanor Laing

Eleanor’s Experience Growing Up as LBGTQI2S:

“I was a child-in-care in the 80’s and I would have greatly benefitted from such a safe place like Friends of Ruby within my chosen community. Foster care placements and communal care environments were woefully ill-equipped at the time, to kindly or effectively support those young people who fell outside of the mainstream in terms of gender identity or sexual orientation.

In my adult life, I followed my passion and spent many years working with youth in group home settings and then ultimately went back to school to become a child protection social worker. Within these roles, I met many LGBTQI2S youth who were displaced or homeless, and were desperately in need of a resource like Friends of Ruby. You are providing an invaluable service and I applaud the wonderful work you do.”