This month we're featuring a dedicated professional who has turned her passion for working with youth  into a fulfilling career at The Bridge Youth & Family Services. With a background in Child and Youth Care from MacEwan University, she has progressed from early roles in daycares and camps to becoming  a key facilitator at The Bridge, committed to empowering young people. In this interview, she shares her experiences, challenges, and the rewards of helping youth transition into adulthood. 
 
Q: CAN YOU SHARE A BIT ABOUT YOUR PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND AND HOW YOU INITIALLY CAME TO WORK AT THE BRIDGE? 
 
A: Growing up, I always loved working with kids. Some of my first jobs included daycares, running  summer camps and respite work. I remember attending information sessions at my university, trying to make a decision on how I wanted to continue to support youth, and after sitting in on the Child and Youth  Care information session, I distinctly remember looking at my mom and saying, “this is it.” 

I graduated MacEwan University in 2018 with a Bachelor’s degree in Child and Youth Care. After receiving my bachelor’s, I moved to Kelowna and started working in the field as a Residential Youth Worker, followed by a Family Support Worker and finally into my role at The Bridge Youth & Family  Services, starting out as Youth Outreach Facilitator and since transitioning to a Youth & Family Support Facilitator as well as an Upstream Support Facilitator.  

Q: DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE WITH YOUTH & FAMILY SUPPORT AND UPSTREAM. 
 
A: As a Youth & Family Support Facilitator my participants are referred through the Ministry of Children  and Family Development (MCFD). I work with youth ages 13 to 18, mainly within the community. My focus is skill enhancement in the domains of life skills, mental health, family and peer relationships, and access to community resources. Each youth’s needs are different, and my goal is to meet them where they are at and help them to gain sills that will assist their transition into adulthood. 

As an Upstream Support Facilitator, I work with grade eight students at Springvalley, KLO, and Dr. Knox Middle Schools. I meet with the youth at their school or in the community and focus on increasing school engagement and resiliency. 

A large part of each of each of these roles is collaboration, both within and outside of The Bridge. Each of my roles significantly vary with each youth and their individual needs.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME CHALLENGES THAT YOU'VE FACED IN THIS ROLE? HOW HAVE YOU OVERCOME THEM? 
 
A: One main challenge I face is having consistent meetings with youth. Often, they want or need to see  me at the drop of a hat, which means that I’m not always able to accommodate them. To overcome this, I work with my participants on scheduling, time management, as well as increasing their coping strategies and aiding in increasing their support circle. I get creative with different ways to engage participants and  collaborate with my team for new ideas. 

Q: USING THREE WORDS, DESCRIBE THE DYNAMIC OF THE TEAM AT YOUTH & FAMILY SUPPORT. 
 
A: Supportive, interdisciplinary, fun 

Q: WHAT DO YOU FIND MOST REWARDING ABOUT THE WORK THAT YOU DO? 
 
A: It truly is the small things that make me love the work I do. It’s the moments my participants start  reaching out to me advocating for the help they need, them reaching out to schedule meetings, and  watching them or hearing about them implementing the skills and strategies we have worked on. It is  being able to provide the support where they need it and then watching them not need me anymore. 

Q: OUTSIDE OF WORK, WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR HOBBIES AND INTERESTS? 
 
A: Outside of work in the winter, you can catch me snuggling up on the couch with a good show or spending time with family. In the summer I can be found spending most of my time outside, at the beach or hiking, I love the sun! Year round, you’ll often hear of a new animal each time you talk to me as I also love to pet sit.