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Luckily for this placement I will not have to say any goodbyes just yet. Here are some ideas I have done in the past:

Colleagues:

In the past, I have enjoyed creating art and/or food to say thank you to my peers at work. Usually, I paint a card and write a thoughtful note inside thanking them for all their support and guidance throughout my time there. I usually include a baked good and in the past I have made granola, cookies, and banana chocolate chip muffins.

Clients:

I find goodbyes with clients especially hard. I try to remind my client many weeks in advance that my employment is coming to an end. Then, I like to create a celebratory day for the last day. For example, I was supporting a family who really loved a park close by. For our last day together I packed a big picnic so we could hang out at the park all day and acknowledge our time together. It was a really nice and fun way to spend our last day together, even though we were sad to part ways.

Clara Moroch

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As we approach the culmination of our time together, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible journey we've shared. Working alongside each of you has been an invaluable experience that I will always cherish. I believe that our farewells should not only express gratitude but also leave a lasting memory.

Virtual Memory Wall: Let's create a virtual memory wall where everyone can contribute their favorite moments, pictures, and heartfelt messages. It's a beautiful way to encapsulate our time together and provide something tangible to look back on.

Personalized Digital Cards: Each team member could design a digital card that represents our journey. These cards can include personal notes, inside jokes, and expressions of gratitude. We can compile them into a digital scrapbook to share and keep.

-Anselmo

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As we approach the finally weeks of placement, I am actually not saying good bye. I have had the privilege of working with this company and completing my placement hours. I will continue working there in September but my hours will be changing as I am not available full time.

Some of the ways I have done goodbyes with students of individuals I support in the past are memory books.

I worked in Grade 4 and 5 and when the Grade 5 would graduate I would make them a memory book. It was like a yearbook and I would add all the events/activities/field trips etc over the years. I always personalized them with their favourite interested, notes from teachers, pictures of friends, quotes from movies etc. Then I printed them (in colour!) and laminated them. I would give them the book towards the last week of school and we would read over it and share the memories we had over the last 2 years or more if they were in the school longer. It was a really great idea and my students always loved it.

-Kirsten Walker

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Goodbye’s are rough to put it simply. It's an intense feeling having to leave somewhere where you’ve not only connected to the children and youth, but the colleagues you work with and so forth. I try to look at goodbye’s as more of a see you later than a goodbye. As there’s always a chance that you may run into the children and youth you worked with and the colleagues you worked with as well. Does not mean it is any less hard though.
It’s essential to remind myself throughout the closure process that whatever and however I feel is completely valid and I never have to dismiss how I feel.
On my last day, I am going to give thank you cards to everyone I worked with at my placement. This will not only make me feel more at ease about leaving but also let people know they are appreciated and hopefully put some smiles on folks faces!

- Holls Hudson

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As we know, saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you enjoy your time and connect with many wonderful people. Throughout my life I have had to say goodbye many times, but this internship probably had my best way of ending off. In July at my placement they hold a 3 week camp and this camp is for children that enjoy art and theatre and want to learn more about social justice etc. At the end of the three weeks the children, youth guides,and artist guides join them to perform their play they created during their time at Peace Camp. They call this a Gala, at this Gala everyones, family, friends, and community members are invited to come and watch their play. We celebrate them and the land that we have been using for the 3 weeks as it is a shared space withThe Wiigwassikaa encampment. After the play everyone is treated to food and drinks , there is an ice cream truck , a DJ. Everyone gathers together to chat and congratulate one another. Also, we provide t-shirts, water bottles for all staff and campers. The t-shirts are souvenirs the campers and staff came together and signed each other shirts and said our final goodbyes.

For staff we did a final closing circle where we highlighted our favourite moments, and how camp helped us grow in many different areas. It is an emotional moment but in a positive way it is amazing to see changes that can happen only within a 3 week period. Overall, I would suggest this way of saying “goodbye” as it brings everyone together and celebrates everyone's accompaniment and making them feel special.

- Taneissa Buckley-Logie

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I believe it is really difficult to say goodbye to those with whom you have developed deep relationships. It is of the utmost importance to not only say goodbye, but also begin preparing them for your leave so that it is not abrupt. It is necessary to say goodbye, but I believe it is simpler if you clarify where you will be during your absence so that the children do not make assumptions about your whereabouts. To commemorate my placement and the conclusion of the program, there will be a party, which I view as a celebration of transition rather than a moment of sadness. It helps us create a memorable experience that we can all share.

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In my CYCP educational journey I’ve had to say goodbye to 3 separate placements and each time it was its own unique experience, however every time saying goodbye came with a mixture of emotions. Some emotions that came to the surface were sadness, happiness, loss, relief, uncertainty, hope, pride and  gratitude. I have expressed my thankfulness by writing personal thank you cards, buying small plants and attaching a homemade note saying “thank you for helping me grow!”, I’ve brought coffee and doughnuts for staff, I’ve also brought in veggies and fruit with crackers and cheese and had a goodbye gathering. There are many different ways that we can say goodbye to our supervisors, staff and youth as long as it is meaningful, intentional and heartfelt you can’t go wrong with which ever way you choose to say goodbye and thank you! I’m very lucky this time around as I will not have to say goodbye to any of the staff, youth or my supervisor as I have chosen to accept a job offer with my placement and will only being saying “thank you” through small handwritten notes and a intention of excitement for what the future holds for me at MABELLEarts. - Natasha Campbell

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Ideas for saying goodbyes and thank yous to colleagues and clients

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Ideas for saying goodbyes and thank yous to colleagues and clients

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Goodbyes are always really hard and sucky. To make them as good as possible you want to leave them with a good feeling. In my opinion you never want to leave where a) people don't know and b) it's awkward. I like people to realize what they are missing. My plan is to do something a bit personal and make cake pops for that day and hand them out to everyone as a gesture of goodwill and hopefully to make their days a bit better. That way not only do they remember you but they remember you fondly. lastly its a bit of a casual way of thanking them and showing i appreciate them for all they done to help me.

- Jessica

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Saying goodbye is one of the hardest things to do so instead of saying "goodbye" I like to tell people bye for now or "later", because to me saying one of those things means we will cross paths again some time in the future. For my summer camp from the beginning I let campers and staff when my last day is and as it approaches I remind them all. Everyone is aware of my last day and for my goodbyes to the staff who has be so great for me, I plan to get a thank you card and some treats for them.
For my kids I will be getting a T-shirt that they can all sign and have like a mini going away party while we celebrate all the great things we have done together. I will also, bring some treats for them as well.

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Closure. Saying Good bye and a time to reflect: bertrand Nezerwa

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Closure. Saying Good bye and a time to reflect: bertrand Nezerwa

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Saying goodbye to anybody makes us stronger for the next adventure ahead. Telling supervisors and the youth you work with ahead of time will make the process much easier. Although i do programing in differant places i let the youth know and maybe we plan an activity at the end. creating memories that last.

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While I won't be saying goodbye to my colleagues anytime soon as I'll be working with them until the end of August, I've also thought about some plans to say goodbye to them. At the same time, I also got the news that my supervisor is going to work elsewhere in the middle of next month, so I thought I should make some plans, at least say goodbye to my supervisor.
My colleagues and I get along very well and we all help each other out. So to a certain extent, we are colleagues and friends. According to some social etiquette of our culture, when we are very grateful to someone, we usually prepare some small gifts.
Regarding gifts, I will choose carefully, my tentative gift is the diffuser. Some diffuser's bottles are designed to be beautiful, and at the same time deliver a pleasant fragrance. I plan to prepare diffusers with different flavours and look for my colleagues according to their age and personality. At the same time, in the gift bag, I will also write some words of thanks for them with gift cards and our shared memories, in order to thank them for their help and guidance in this placement. Hope they like these gifts.

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I think that goodbyes are extremely hard sometimes especially if you are the one that is leaving, or at least it is that way for me.

I think that with where I am doing my placement right now, it is teaching me on how to say proper goodbyes since we get a new cohort of children every week. Something that we like to do in our classroom is have the children reflect back on the week and mention an art activity that they enjoyed doing the most since I am doing my placement at an art centre. In addition to that the children get to exhibit their artwork at the end of the week where they can present their art pieces and feel like they are an artist themselves. When the parents take the children at the end of the exhibit I let them know how happy I was that they were in my class and that I hope to meet them again. That way we leave on a positive note.

I think that if you are saying goodbye in general it is extremely important to leave on good terms because at the end of the day, there could be a possibility of seeing each other again, and if you leave on bad terms it can become super uncomfortable.

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Saying goodbye can be difficult at the best of times let alone within a field where relationships are built and individuals begin to rely on you. It is extremely important to maintain relationships with coworkers and supervisors as these can be extremely helpful in the future. Within a placement setting the relationships you form with your supervisors and coworkers are an extremely important part of the experience.
When talking about the clients and individuals that we work with it can be important to give them proper closure for when you leave. In my placement the idea of making the students leaving a big event is something that is important as it helps to make it feel special and allow the members to celebrate their time that was spent together rather than feel as if the students just picked up and left them.

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It‘s hard to say goodbye. Time runs fast, can’t even believe that it has been two months since the first day of work at Oakville Children’s Home. I enjoyed the time with all the clients and staffs that I worked with in this organization. To my supervisor: Thank you for the support, guidance, and encouragement you have provided for me during my time at Kingsway and Churchill. I appreciated the opportunity to work in Oakville Children’s Home.
Yan

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As my time winds down, I can't help but reflect on all the awesome people I've worked with here. I’m grateful that I met all of you on my first day, including the others that recently joined. I cannot thank you enough for your guidance throughout those first few weeks, I love your determination, your willingness to jump right in, and your ability to think outside the box.

To my supervisor, I don’t know where to begin, there’s so much I want to say, but I’ll keep it short and simple. Thank you for being such a strong source of encouragement and supporting me through each obstacle I faced. I'm so grateful for your insights and advice, the time we spent together really helped me understand, see things in a new light, feel more confident, and for that I am truly thankful!! I was lucky to have you in my corner, and I wish you nothing but the best!

Best,

Dada Ahipatela

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Even though some of the kids I work with at the YMCA I will see again during the school year, some of the other kids I won't be seeing again unless I go to the school they are located for before and after- school. Some ways I have thought about saying my goodbyes was first to let them know when the last day is, so they aren't surprised when I do leave on the last day of summer camp, but also, I thought of incorporating a fun daily countdown activity with the kids. So doing number art, where we cut out the number of days left of summer camp and when we are done decorating it we hang it up on the wall. For my co-workers who I may not see for a while, it definitely will be a little harder to say bye to because they have taught me so much and are a really great support. My way of saying thank you and goodbye will be by giving them cards with a small token of my appreciation such as a gift card, or a mug.

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Creative ideas for saying goodbyes and/or thank you to clients

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Creative ideas for saying goodbyes and/or thank you to clients

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Depending on how you feel about a coworker, saying goodbye may be an emotional event. You could be saying goodbye to a coworker who has left or accepted a job offer from another organization, or you might be the one who is leaving. Whatever the circumstance, there are a number of methods to part ways with a coworker while yet keeping in touch to take advantage of any potential networking possibilities. A way to say goodbye to your colleagues "Thank you for bringing your unrelenting joy to work every day. Your smile was contagious, and I’ll try to hold onto to it in future meetings, also I love that I have always been able to rely on you to talk with me about anything. You have been the best friend and the best colleague I’ve ever worked with, and I look forward to keeping in touch in the future."
-Stephanie Addom

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I won't be saying goodbye to the program I am with for the rest of the summer however I do say goodbye at the end of every week as it's often a new group on monday. I like to wrap of the week by looking back on the highlights of the week and allowing the youth to share what they enjoyed. We also say goodbye through activites by choosing to do that one activity that was a fan favourite throughout the week. It's always hard saying goodbye to the young people you know you may not see again but its something to expect/prepare for doing the work that we do! -Victoria Palka

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I won't be saying goodbye to the program I am with for the rest of the summer however I do say goodbye at the end of every week as it's often a new group on monday. I like to wrap of the week by looking back on the highlights of the week and allowing the youth to share what they enjoyed. We also say goodbye through activites by choosing to do that one activity that was a fan favourite throughout the week. It's always hard saying goodbye to the young people you know you may not see again but its something to expect/prepare for doing the work that we do! -Victoria Palka

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When working with people it’s hard to say goodbye especially when spending time with them. You form short but lasting connecting relationships. It is important to say your goodbyes and look back at your time with fond memories.

- Teo

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Goodbyes are SO hard. I think when you work in a career that depends on the meaningful connections you make with not just young people but fellow cycw’s who you have come to learn about and appreciate - things like goodbyes are 10X harder. I’ve experienced firsthand saying goodbye to students who are in spring programs and even saying goodbye to amazing supervisors who went out of their way to make my experience as best as it could it.

But as hard as it feels sometimes - it can be awkward. Cause what do you say? What if you don’t feel so sad? What if you don’t know how to communicate how sad you feel? What if saying goodbyes isn’t something you’re use to? All these things kind of happened to me. But it takes experiencing that loss to learn how to move forward with the situation. The first goodbye was awkward - maybe the second one was still a little weird. By the third one you know that every loss comes with a new gain - “you win some you lose some”. There was always something to learn, and there will be so many more people in the future who you can learn so much more from.

So I say focus on what you learned. Focus on what that person gave you and the experiences you shared that will make you a better person and a better CYC. Wish them well and if you want - stay in touch. But even if you aren’t able to, you gained so much already.

Amal Ahmed.