Co-Curricular Learning Coordinator, University of Toronto
Social Work

Why did you decide to be a Social Worker?

In high school, I loved volunteering. I volunteered for various fundraising initiatives and I supported the coordination of community events. When it came time to decide on what I wanted to study, I wanted to pursue a subject that I enjoyed so I applied for programs such as sociology, psychology and criminology; I was so happy to have been accepted in the Social Work program at York University. To be honest, at that time I did not completely understand the work of a social worker, but I did know that I wanted to learn more about topics related to social justice, diversity, equity, inclusion, and access. I was intrigued by the possibilities that a degree in social work opened up career-wise and I am so happy to continue to learn about these possibilities every day.

Can you tell me about your social work journey and how it has led you to your current position?

In the first year of my undergraduate degree, I got a job doing administrative work and organizing materials for a small resource centre on-campus. I learned a lot about the university’s structure and the contemporary issues that impact post-secondary students. Since then, I pursued work on-campus in community-related offices and building student programs. During my graduate studies, I specialized in Social Justice and Diversity with a research focus on post-secondary institutions.

After I completed my studies, I was happy to have had an opportunity to work at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at University of Toronto as the Student Programs and Outreach Coordinator. I supported the faculty’s Buddy Program, Alumni Mentoring Program and Summer Mentorship Program, and travelled to different post-secondary institutions in Ontario conducting information sessions. At the same time, I worked part-time at Humber College as a Student Support Advisor where I helped students navigate their various wholistic needs to support them from admission to graduation.
I then moved on to working with the Career Exploration and Education team as an Employer Recruitment and Engagement Coordinator. My responsibilities included connecting recruiters, employers and career co-educators with students and recent graduates. I helped to build the programs and events to support students career learning and with considerations of equity, diversity and inclusion.

Recently, I transferred to the Centre for Community Partnerships as a Co-curricular Learning Coordinator, helping to facilitate partnerships with community organizations and coordinating opportunities for students to participate in Community-engaged Learning.

Where do you work, what’s your job title, and can you provide a little information about what a typical work week is like for you?

My job title is Co-curricular Learning Coordinator, I have the pleasure of developing opportunities for community engagement and co-curricular learning for students and fostering relationships with internal and external partners. In a typical work week, I spend time consulting with colleagues and students regarding the direction of future programming or reflecting on previous programs, reporting, facilitating workshops and training, and fostering relationships. Every week is different and depending on the time of year, I will be required to do more or less of a particular activity. To put it broadly, I spend a lot of time working with and communicating with others in various ways. This makes communication skills essential for the successful day-to-day operations.

Can you tell me about your current position and what you love and what are some of the challenges?

So far, my favorite part of my current position is being a part of a team that encourages innovation as we bring forth new and exciting programming. This programming is rooted in community, supporting our community partners, and always incorporates community consultation and reflection. Every day I am really inspired not only by the amazing work currently being done, but also the future of programs and services. One of the challenges of the position is managing multiple, sometimes inconsistent, expectations and needs.

Why did you choose to be on the Alumni Committee and what do you like best about it?

I decided to join the alumni committee soon after I graduated from my graduate studies. Originally, I thought that it would be a wonderful opportunity to network with other alum in the GTA. I soon found that it was the perfect way to re-connect with the York University community and help to create meaningful opportunities for both alumni and current students.

What’s the best career decision you’ve ever made?

I think that the best career decision that I have made was not keeping myself bound by the traditional avenues of social work when deciding where to take my career. Although ‘the post-secondary social worker’ may not be commonly cited in social work textbooks, I use the skills that I honed during my social work education every day.

What’s the biggest misconception people have about your position?

Building from the previous question, the biggest misconception is that I am not practicing social work. I have been registered in good standing with the college since I started my career and I plan to continue doing so. The students represented in post-secondary are becoming increasingly diverse and may face barriers relating to equity, access and inclusion. The ability to competently work with people from various backgrounds is important if you would like to work with post-secondary students. Post-secondary institutions are recognizing issues around student’s mental health, universal design, accessibility, diversity, poverty, etc. And I believe that social workers can play a key role in making meaningful change.