Job Description
My main job is to connect with local workplaces to organize training sessions with them. I teach people at workplaces about sexual harassment in the workplace: how to stop it before it happens and what to do if it happens. This involves a lot of research and time management but also a lot of creativity. I get to design my own workshops and presentations! The most important skills that I use are my public speaking skills and my emotional intelligence. I use these to make my presentations engaging and memorable, rather than unhelpful and boring. Emotional intelligence is also crucial for when people ask me for help. Otherwise, I'm sometimes asked to handle other presentations about consent, sexual health, and sexual violence. This involves adapting my public speaking and emotional intelligence skills to various settings and age groups.
Relevant School Subjects
- Health and Physical Education
- Social Sciences and Humanities
Areas of Expertise
- Education/Training
- Not for Profit
- Social Work/Counselling
Career Story
After taking an extra semester in high school to help me figure out what major I would pursue, I went to the University of Waterloo for psychology. I didn't commit to psychology at first, as I also considered sociology. Victimology courses sparked my passion for violence response and prevention, which I knew would benefit from my psychology major. Suddenly, after years wondering for so long, I knew what I wanted my first career to be.
Before getting into my field, I built my skills and earned a living by working in the insurance industry for a combined three years. I also worked in fast food through university, which helped me gain insights into organizational labour. With a more robust resume, I finally earned my first role in the gender-based violence sector in 2020.
I worked with domestic violence offenders and impaired driving offenders to develop healthier habits that would reduce the odds of them repeating their offences. This was a combination of counselling and psycho/social education.
I eventually left that role to help develop the #RaiseTheBar program for the Sexual Assault Support Centre (SASC). Raise the Bar offers highly engaging workshops to addresses unsafe workplace cultures before lines are crossed or legal issues arise. Raise the Bar examines how different actions, behaviours, attitudes and beliefs contribute to healthy or unhealthy workplaces.
I've been in my role at the SASC since February 2022, and find it very personally meaningful and professionally fulfilling.