Spotlight: 2024 Student Bursary Recipients

All my life, I only knew to help my friends and family and be there for them. Choosing to study social work at CBU grew out of that desire to give, share, and support the people around me.

I strongly believe that we need more L’nu social workers and Mi’kmaq-speaking social workers. When I start practicing social work, I also want the people in our community to know that I understand the intergenerational trauma inherited from parents or grandparents who attended Indian residential schools and day schools. I’m excited about becoming able to offer social work services that are in our own language, and that deeply reflect Mi’kmaw knowledge and values.

My whole life, I always knew that I wanted to pursue social work. My passion stems from a love of people, a longing for an exciting career and needing a social worker to help navigate my own losses as a young adult.

Hailing from a small town in Cape Breton, I have always been drawn to rural social work. I feel as though my experiences as a local bring value and strengthen my connection with clients in my role as a hospital social worker.

After finding my passion in healthcare, I decided to pursue my health based MSW through the University of Waterloo, which will better equip me with knowledge on policy, ethics, equity, research and leadership. I am very fortunate to have the support of family, who are helping me juggle work, studies, and motherhood. Thank you to the NSCSW for endorsing this exciting chapter in my life!

After earning my Bachelor of Kinesiology from Memorial University, I felt a strong pull to shift careers and pursue a BSW. I now see social work as the career I was always meant for, though I didn’t fully recognize it at the time. During my BSW at Dalhousie University, I had the privilege of completing my placement at the John Howard Society. That experience was pivotal in shaping my career, deepening my empathy, challenging my beliefs, and inspiring me to be a more curious, compassionate, and conscientious social worker.

Since graduating, I’ve worked with the Department of Community Services in various roles, but for the past four years, I’ve been in a training, recruitment and assessment role for Adoption and Foster Care. I’m currently in my first year of the MSW program at the University of Waterloo while balancing the joys and challenges of being a new and working mother. I feel really grateful for the opportunity to continue advancing my education and career in social work.

My passion for pursuing a Master of Social Work is based on older adults and the ‘allowed’ ageism within our systems, communities and culture(s). Residing on the unceded territory of Sikunme’katik, I have had the fortune of developing partnerships with this group through my previous occupation as an OTA/PTA, guiding those who have met physical limitations and barriers with the tools and resources to increase their functional ability and independence with. Now, through an MSW lens, I am proud that I will be able to continue serving this group through a lens that advocates for change, adds strength to voices and empowers those through their later stage of life.

My future goals are to further my education within an older adult practice so as to become a strong advocate for systemic change that addresses ageism, creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for older adults in all aspects of their lives.

I am in the one-year MSW program at Dalhousie University and am grateful for the support from the NSCSW as I continue my social work education. I have a BSW from McMaster University and a BA in sociology from St. Francis Xavier University. My primary areas of interest include addressing gender-based violence and supporting children and youth mental health, particularly within rural communities.

I view professionalism as the cornerstone of social work practice, fostering trust, accountability, and respect between social workers and the communities we serve. Professionalism requires adherence to the highest standards of confidentiality, empathy, and non-judgmental support. It embodies a commitment to lifelong learning and critical self-reflexivity. Staying informed of best practices, adapting to new research, and continuously evaluating personal biases and positionality are vital aspects of professionalism. Professionalism means not only following ethical codes but also striving to be a reflective social worker who can grow alongside the evolving needs of the clients and communities we work with.