Viking_Yearbook_78

An outreach worker means every evening "on the streets." Christiane Rostig graduated from PSU in the fall of 1977 with a degree in Social Services and Psychology and has been " on the streets" ever since. If all the mass media tells us is true, Christiane is one of the few graduates who was able to find a job in her field . Ever since Christiane took a class entitled " Alienated Youth in Society," she has " had a vision. " That vision was to provide assistance to alienated youth. As part of a class p roject, she performed vol untee r work for two months with an agency known as Harry's Mother. This agency is supported by the Ecumenical Ministry of Oregon and its p rima ry goal is to lend assistance to the runaways, who range in age from 13 to 18. Immediately after graduating she was offered one of the positions of outreach worker. " There is magic to the place . There is a lot of caring that goes on , not only for the clients we work with but each other as well. " Christiane's job begins at 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. The first two and one half hours are taken up with offi ce work . Then , at around 6 r .m., the real job begins as Christiane and a partner hit the street. For five hours they roam the hangouts of downtown Portland looking for anyone needing assistance. The popular hangouts include t he bus depots, the Arcade, and the Pythian Building . Their aim is simple: to meet the kids and set up a trust between t hem. " There are rules that develop that vary with each contact. With one contact Rosemary Ruffing or John Tullis (the other two outreach workers) may be the feeling person who responds to the feelings the person is putting out. I may be the observation person who is watching for telltale facial expressions or bodily movement. Or one of the kids may take a liking to one of us and the other takes a pe ri pheral role." Christiane Rostig and John Tullis, outreach workers for Harry's Mother, spend much of their weekday evenings walking the streets of Portland looking for anyone needing assistance and a friendly ea r. 71