Northwest Community College Connections

Social Service Worker grad comes back full circle to NWCC

TERRACE – The Student Services Team at Northwest Community College’s (NWCC) Terrace Campus has a new, albeit temporary, member who knows exactly the kinds of support students need most.

That’s because Mike Davis is an accomplished NWCC graduate from the Social Service Worker (SSW) program. The 2010 grad is now a fourth year Bachelor of Social Work student at UNBC in Terrace and is back at NWCC as part of his practicum requirements.

Davis, a multi-scholarship winner at NWCC, will be working under the umbrella of the Student Services Team throughout the fall semester for the equivalent of three days or 21 hours per week.

“I chose to do my practicum at NWCC because I had a great experience here as a student and I wanted to be placed in a position where I could help students succeed,” said Davis, who plans to eventually earn a Masters Degree in Social Work and work as an addictions and grief and loss counsellor. “I thought it was important to try my hand at different things before getting to my end goal.”

So far, adds Davis, he’s got a good range of experience in his practicum role – exceeding his expectations.

“The first week I was job shadowing and learning about the roles and responsibilities of the NWCC staff. I have been involved in orientations in various classrooms and programs and I have joined in some outreach work in New Aiyansh and Kitsumkalum,” said Davis. “I’ve also participated in Learning Pathways courses, where I have sat in on discussions and offered my perspectives as a former student.”

Leona Wells, the First Nations Access Coordinator with the Student Services Team, says Davis being a former student is a huge benefit for his ability to understand the challenges students face.

“He can relate to student problems. Their needs are still so fresh with Mike, he was able to waltz into this position,” said Wells, adding Davis is extremely approachable.

Despite an obvious familiarity with student life and challenges, his experience here has still opened Davis’s eyes.

“I'm seeing a different side of campus life in my placement here. I’m seeing the needs of students, something I didn’t see as a student,” said Davis. “I’m reaching out to students to let them know there are people here to help solve their problems. Students need to know that asking for help is a sign of strength, not a sign of weakness.”

The practicum here is the first of two for Davis, who’ll earn six credits for his work at NWCC. He has yet to decide where his second practicum – a 15-credit, full semester assignment – will take place. 

Hard work pays off in a big way for NWCC grad

HAZELTON – Northwest Community College (NWCC) graduate Martha Wilson has authored a story almost as inspirational as she is and it started with a simple email last year advising her of a scholarship opportunity.

Wilson, a mother and grandmother, recently found out she was selected as a 2011 Upper-Year W. Garfield Weston Scholar, an award with a value of $25,000! Award winners get a tuition waiver from the college they attend, a grant of $8,000 towards their living expenses, and access to a mentorship program, summer funding and a leadership conference in Toronto. The award will allow Wilson to pursue her career goal of becoming a clinical psychologist.

The award caps an eventful two years for Wilson, who graduated with two full-time program credentials this spring – an Associate Degree in Arts and a Social Service Worker diploma, earned at NWCC Terrace Campus.

A proud Gitxsan member of the Wolf (Laxgibuu) Clan belonging to House of Niik'yap, Wilson plans to continue at NWCC this fall, working on credits she’ll need to eventually transfer to a Bachelor program at UNBC in Prince George. She says she’s grateful for the help she received at the College when she suffered a stroke in December 2008.

Wilson emerged from the health setback more determined than ever to achieve goals she had set for herself.

“I set a goal for myself: nothing less than graduating with honours was acceptable,” said Wilson. “The results gave me a lot of validation that if you really want something, it’s never too late.”

But the foundation for Wilson’s big scholarship was built before she returned to school. She has worked in the social service field for 25 years, she owns her own consulting business in which she facilitates workshops on healing, conscious parenting and gives one-on-one counselling, and she has volunteered her time with Highway of Tears advocacy, the Gitxsan Health Society and Gitanmaax interagency for youth at risk. The turning point for Wilson’s community work came when her cousin became a Highway of Tears victim. Ramona Wilson went missing from Smithers in 1994 and her remains were found a year later near the Bulkley Valley town.

“It was an issue really dear to my heart,” says Wilson, who accompanied her aunt on a 2006 walk from Smithers to Prince George to bring awareness to the growing list of unsolved murders on Hwy16. “To get involved with the Highway of Tears, Gitxsan Health and youth is something natural for me. If somebody needs help, you step up – you don’t do it because you have to, you do it because you want to.”

In addition to academic achievement, the Garfield Weston Foundation judges award finalists in three areas: community service, leadership and character and integrity, attributes Wilson displays in spades. The award interview process was intensive with one phone interview and five in-person interviews in Toronto. As part of the latter, Wilson had to present two hypothetical summer projects – one domestic and one abroad – and she drew on her passion for issues relating to First Nations women, youth, health and poverty.

Wilson says she still can’t quite believe the scope of her award, which is the biggest but certainly not the only one she’s recently earned. She is also the recipient of two NWCC awards, the Patti Barnes Humanitarian Award ($2,000 ) and the Northern Institute for Resource Studies Scholarship ($500), among others.

“It’s kind of embarrassing,” said Wilson of her successes. “I think living in the North, you have to create what you have, you have to be resourceful.”

NWCC President, Dr. Denise Henning is a big believer in the doors of opportunity that open through education and she says Wilson’s story is a perfect example.

“Northwest Community College is truly a better place for having a student and person the calibre of Martha Wilson,” said Dr. Henning. “Hers is a story that anyone could draw inspiration from and we wish her every success in pursuing her career goals.”

Social Service Worker program celebrates 30 years with all-day event

Roughly 80 people packed NWCC Terrace Campus longhouse Waap Galts'ap April 27 during the Points North event celebrating the Social Service Worker program milestone.

The Social Service Worker (SSW) program at Northwest Community College (NWCC) hosted an all-day event today in celebration of the program's 30th anniversary.

Points North proved more than just a celebration, however, as the roughly 80 registrants began the day with a series of professional development workshops put on by facilitators from Northern Health Authority, BC Ministry of Children and Family Development, Kermode Friendship Society and Kitimat Valley Institute. The workshops covered four topics: Avoiding Burnout/Self Care; Prevention & Management of Aggressive Behaviour: Effects of Trauma; and FASD 101.

Among the many participants were current NWCC and UNBC social work students, alumni from both programs and local social workers in general.

The event kicked off with speeches from NWCC SSW program coordinator Karen Chrysler, program alumni and Kitsumkalum matriarch Vera Dudoward, NWCC Vice President of Education Beverly Moore-Garcia and representatives from UNBC's Social Work program, Chair Dawn Hemmingway and Dr. Bruce Bidgood.

UNBC Social Work program helped in the event's planning and co-sponsored, along with the BC Association of Social Workers.

The evening event was an alumni fundraiser social at Waap Galts’ap, the Terrace Campus longhouse. All event proceeds will go to the newly established SSW program student bursary.

NWCC representatives said they hoped to make Points North a bi-annual event, so that first and second-year students would get a chance to attend at least once.

NWCC's SSW program offers a one-year certificate and two-year diploma, both of which are designed for students who wish to obtain training and skills in social services.

Long-running Social Service Worker program turns 30

TERRACE – Not long after Northwest Community College (NWCC) was established in 1975, the school offered what was then called the Integrated Human Services program. More than 500 graduates and four name changes later, the Social Service Worker (SSW) program is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.

For those keeping track, the long-running program went from Human Service Worker to Social Service Worker (SSW) to Integrated Human Services (IHS) and back to SSW. And while the names have changed, the program has consistently produced graduates ready and able to meet the industry demand – locally and beyond.

Though the majority of SSW graduates find work in the human services, program coordinator Karen Chrysler (pictured) says their grads also have gone on to work in nursing, teaching, retail sales, politics and health care, contributing to the social and economic capital of the Northwest region.

“I think the program has been successful for so long because it serves diverse educational needs,” Chrysler said. “The program is a springboard for many students. They may not be sure what they wish to do and so they come to take the program for a year. Some go on to other occupations but they retain the knowledge, skills and attitudes of social service work, which benefit them in whatever field they choose.”

Chrysler says many graduates are working in mental health, child welfare and other areas of social work, others go on to pursue their studies in social work at UNBC and still others take the program for personal knowledge and growth.

“The program has been around long enough to be generational,” Chrysler adds. “That is, the sons and daughters of graduates are now coming to the program.”

NWCC President Denise Henning says the program’s longevity is a sign of its success and its ability to adapt to the changing needs of the industries that seek its graduates.

“Northwest Community College is proud to celebrate the success and history of the Social Service Worker program and the many people who have contributed to this milestone,” Henning said.

To commemorate the SSW program’s 30th anniversary, the College will host Points North, an alumni fundraiser social on Wednesday, April 27 at Waap Galts’ap, the Terrace Campus longhouse. All grads are welcome and net proceeds go to the newly established SSW program student bursary. Contact Karen Chrysler at 250.638.5334 for information.

Please consider donating to the NWCC Social Service Worker bursary. It's as easy as clicking this link! Fill in the one-page donation form and you'll be contacted to confirm your donation information and payment method. A valid income tax receipt will be issued to acknowledge contributions.

Social work program turns 30!

Northwest Community College's Social Service Worker (SSW) program celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. The program has changed its name four times in its 30 years – from Human Service Worker (HSW) to Social Service Worker to Integrated Human Services (IHS) and back to SSW – but  the goal has remained the same: giving students quality instruction and the tools necessary to provide professional care in the social service work field. Helping to mark this anniversary are some of the alumni who have built this strong history.

 

Vera Dudoward, Social Service Worker (SSW) graduate in 2006.

Q: Why did you choose NWCC for this field of study?
A: I enjoy meeting and working with people; social services was a program of interest at the time.

Q: What do you remember most about your time in the program?
A: I enjoyed meeting new people. I made many friends and most of the class instructors were great – very helpful and professional.

Q:  Have you remained in contact with any of your former classmates or instructors?
A: I see many in passing from time to time.

Q: What jobs have you gone on to that directly relate to your training at NWCC?
A: I work for the Northern Health Authority in adminstrative support worker for Home and Community Care serving the elderly, handicapped and general public. I assist clinicians with client information and assist/provide support services to clientele with information related to their care.

Q: What advice would you give to current or future students interested in social work?
A: Social service work is a very worthwhile endeavor – carry on and make a difference. Good luck!

 

GIVE THE GIFT OF LEARNING –
Please consider donating to the NWCC Social Service Worker Bursary. It's as easy as clicking this link! Fill in the one-page donation form and you'll be contacted to confirm your donation information and payment method. A valid income tax receipt will be issued to acknowledge contributions.

Student success: focus on the Social Service Worker program

Northwest Community College students have great stories to tell. Get to know the future of the Northwest's workforce now.

Lawrence Sankey, Social Service Worker (SSW) diploma student.

I was a fisherman from 1974 up until 1994, when I returned to school to complete my grades 11 and 12 at the North Coast Community Skills Centre in Prince Rupert. I graduated through Charles Hays Senior Secondary School in 1998, then enrolled at Northwest Community College in 1998 for my Business Administration diploma. I completed and obtained my certificate and diploma in April 2001 and then worked at Kitkatla band as the payroll clerk and as the band administrator for two years.

I returned to NWCC, and in 2005, I obtained my Associate of Arts Degree. But I wasn't finished studying. That fall, I enrolled in NWCC's SSW program, which started in Prince Rupert and completed at NWCC Terrace Campus.

Social work seemed the right fit. I was looking for a career that would keep me in the Northwest, which also offered job and material security; a career where I would have the freedom and autonomy to work unsupervised, where I would be rewarded for loyalty and reliability and where I could advance within the field.

I chose NWCC because of its great, hands-on instructors and I loved the flexibility the program offered. While working for TDCSS’s (Terrace & District Community Services Society) Choices program at nights, I was able to continue my education at the College. During the second year, after obtaining my SSW certificate, I was hired on in July 2010 at Kermode Friendship Society in Terrace as a family skills worker.

After I earn my SSW diploma, I plan to continue in this job with the hope of making a difference in children’s lives by helping those that require the help and assistance that is offered by Kermode Friendship Society Family Skills Program.

Finally, I credit my supporting family and friends for directing me on this path and giving me the inspiration to not only succeed, but to continue on in the social work field.

 

Laura Letourneau, Social Service Worker (SSW) certificate student.

Thanks to Northwest Community College's Social Service Worker program, I plan to stay and work in Terrace.

My journey to the SSW program is a long one. I attended Caledonia Senior Secondary School in Terrace and fell two credits short of graduating with my class in 1994. I had started working in the restaurant industry in high school, a job I kept doing for 20 years.

A mother of two girls, I was suddenly unemployed when the restaurant I had worked for closed. Sounds pretty dismal right? No, I immediately went after what I wanted so passionately, to be able to go back to school.

I dove right in and passed the CAT III English Assessment test and then earned the two credits I needed for my Grade 12!

I knew I wanted to attend Northwest Community College because I had heard they offered an excellent Social Service Work program under the instruction of Karen Chrysler.

Currently, I'm enrolled in the  SSW certificate program – with plans to continue on to the diploma program – and have come to know that Karen is a remarkable instructor; I hope that I can take the skills that she has taught me and continue to advance them. All my instructors are very supportive and they take pride in helping us succeed. I appreciate the education they have received in order to provide superb instruction.

And it's not just the program that I enjoy. After almost 20 years away from the classroom, I didn't know what to expect of college life, but the College atmosphere is friendly and welcoming, with activities for students, and a supportive, helpful administration. You feel welcome here, everywhere from the office to the library. I love the librarians, they are so helpful when you are tackling papers and need material.

Right now, I am working with children in a Grade 3 class as part of one of my courses. I love working with children and hope to continue to do so – things may change by the time I get my diploma. It is hard to choose what exactly I want to do. I can say that in the end, the only thing that stands out in my mind is to be able to help, encourage, and at least touch one person's life. To be able to make a difference in someone's life is the reward. 

When I enrolled in the SSW program, I did not really know what I was getting into. I learned within a very short time that there were endless possibilities for a career in this field. When one door closes, another opens. This one opened with the best of things yet to come!

 

GIVE THE GIFT OF LEARNING –
Please consider donating to the NWCC Social Service Worker Bursary. It's as easy as clicking this link! Fill in the one-page donation form and you'll be contacted to confirm your donation information and payment method. A valid income tax receipt will be issued to acknowledge contributions.