2023 Participants: Inner-City Work Study

Abby Saulog (Human Rights) I am interested in the Inner-City Work study because it is an amazing way to learn about the inner-city, while working within the inner-city as well. I believe learning about the inner-city is one thing, it is another to get hands on work experience. I hope to learn about the ways that the inner-city works through Truth and Reconciliation and the promotion of solidarity and healing. I am passionate about the de-colonization ways of thinking and doing and hoping to learn more about that as well. As a human rights student, I hoping to contribute my knowledge in human rights any way I can. Lastly, I hope this will be an unforgettable and outstanding experience.

Claire DePasquale (Psychology) I am 20 years old. I will be going into the third year of my psychology degree in the fall. I am interested in the Inner-City Work Study program because my goal is to become a counsellor working in the field of restorative justice. As a member of the Upper Mohawk band, Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, I am especially invested in working with Indigenous peoples who are overrepresented in the criminal justice system in Manitoba and Canada. This program will give me both practical and theoretical background to help me on this path. I am also excited to be able to apply the knowledge I have acquired through my previous courses and work experience and to get to know a group of people who are as interested in and passionate about working with inner-city communities as I am.  

Jade Richardson (Psychology) Being able to participate in the Inner-City work program gives me the opportunity to help and give back to the communities I’ve spent time with and have come to value so much, in addition to allowing me to explore prospective career routes. This, in my opinion, is a unique feature of the Work Study Program. Having the ability to combine theoretical learning with practical experience while also actively supporting the communities in which we live is such an impactful way to learn. I hope to become more familiar with the resources and programs available to inner-city residents. As a born Winnipeg-er myself, I think it’s important to learn about which support systems are in place in your home city, and which areas of support are lacking or require more visibility. I am also looking forward to engaging with community members and getting to know them on a more personal level – Winnipeg’s inner-city encapsulates resiliency and has a very strong sense of community. I’m an empathetic individual with a passion for knowledge and am eager to learn from those with lived experiences, which I believe is an opportunity unique to community work and first-hand engagement with others. 

Jazlyne Saromo (Criminal Justice) I’m an empathetic individual with a passion for knowledge and am eager to learn from those with lived experiences, which I believe is an opportunity unique to community work and first-hand engagement with others. I hope to learn establishing connections with local businesses, educating myself about current issues in the community and what I can do to help. I want to learn what it is like working with non-profit organization, how they connect with clients and support their individual because in the future I want to be able to work in a non-profit organization then further my education later. My critical thinking skills, it is important for me to understand the project from the organization perspective but as a society alone. I want to learn different perspectives that challenge my own, understand different experience and educate myself on how I can be a better community member. Also, my leadership role, I have experience with leading teams, and training but the key to being a leader is also being a communicating with your team and being open to feedback to be a better leader. My communication skills are also valuable, with written, verbal and visual mediums in order to accurately present information.

Mackenzie Gray (International Development Studies) I have always been passionate about community development, local empowerment, and social enterprises. Last summer, I had the unique opportunity to intern at a smallholder farm research center in rural Thailand. Although I learned about the importance of context-specific work and stakeholder engagement, I recognize that I don’t know how to apply these skills in Winnipeg’s context. I hope this program introduces me to the community development field in our Inner-City. I also want to look for opportunities for local investment and ways to keep money in local economies. I want to integrate tangible acts of reconciliation in my work, and I hope my placement will act as an example to follow. Through my work with the North End Community Renewal Corporation, I will assist in the reinvigoration of the North End Farmer’s Market and plan the Picnic in the Park and No Stone Unturned event. Through the design of all projects, I hope to connect with local leaders in development and build meaningful connections with various organizations. I aspire to integrate local knowledge into making community events successful, sustainable, and participatory. I want to expand my development network and learn how to coordinate across agencies. My work in Thailand taught me about the importance of food security, which will help develop a successful farmer’s market. The experience also developed my communication skills and ways to work cross-culturally. My development background and experience working for local businesses reignites my passion for local empowerment. I have organized community dinners and other events in the past, so I understand the details and communication necessary for making events a success. I want to grow local business opportunities by using skills that have worked for me and learned theory from my classes.

Shayla Lacoff (Indigenous Studies) Graduating in 2023. I was born and raised in Winnipeg's inner-city and has Indigenous roots in the Métis Nation. This summer I will be a participating in the Inner-City Work Study Program, in a work placement with the North End Community Renewal Corporation (NECRC) in their community development department. I will be one of the coordinators for the Picnic in the Park event combined with the No Stone Unturned event at St. John's Park, conducted to support community members who have lost a loved one and raise awareness around the on-going crisis of Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women, Girls, and Two-Spirited peoples in Canada. I am a member of the North End and am overjoyed to be shifting positions from an attendee to an organizer of this event that celebrates the strengths side-by-side with supporting the challenges of the community. I am a passionate student that takes particular interest in community development, language revitalization, and advocacy in dismantling internalized oppression in Canadian institutions. My experience varies from volunteering in inner-city community drop-ins, customer service in finance, and most recently working as a teaching assistant at the University of Winnipeg in a linguistics course. I am excited for this opportunity to apply my knowledge gained from taking diverse courses into my work coordinating a special community event close to home.

Shynnia Kipling (Conflict Resolution). Hello, my name is Shynnia (pronounced like Shaina Twain), I was born and raised in Winnipeg, but I come from Peguis First Nation. 

Just to be a student at the University of Winnipeg majoring in Conflict Resolution is an opportunity I would not have had if it were not for the Child and Youth Care Practioner Diploma through Ndianwe. In mentioning the Child and Youth Care program at Ndianwe it was this program that has given me the opportunity to be where I am today and that is having this opportunity to get an education and so to be in the Inner-City Work Study program at the University of Winnipeg is one that not many get, and I am just thankful to have this opportunity. I am interested because of passion and the new learning opportunities I can get from a program that lies within the heart of the north end. I hope to learn about community development, socially, environmentally, socio-economically. As an Indigenous woman with lived experiences, I hope to bring my unique skill set while learning new theories, developments, and community engagement. I hope to expand my skills in case management through community development and programming. As an Indigenous woman with lived experiences and not only am I an intergenerational survivor I am a domestic violent survivor, but this also comes with a different level of understanding and worldview. As of now I am relearning and reclaiming my Identity as an Indigenous women. So, for me, this is important to share because the lived experiences of Indigenous peoples in general matter and this is what I will contribute to the program. Brining in a unique understanding to the conflict and development issues Indigenous families face here in Winnipeg. I have two brothers and one is my twin and I grew up in Point Douglas and the North End all my life, for me the North End and Point Douglas is my second home. I am married, I am also a full-time stepparent to a beautiful girl and foster parent to my son who calls me mom.

Tess Gehman (Geography) I am turning 22 and am studying human geography at the University of Winnipeg with a focus on feminist geography and community support. I applied to the Inner-City Work Study program because it aligns well with my career goals of working in community and supporting those who are in need. This program allows me to learn and gain experience in my field of study as well as further my career goals.  By the end of my placement, I hope to better understand how community and grassroots organizations function and how to better assess and assist the needs of a community. I bring a variety of skills to the program as well as being passionate about the topic both in class and in placement. I hope to apply my compassion and empathy as well as my technical and research skills to make a positive impact and better Winnipeg’s communities and the city as a whole. I am super excited and grateful for this opportunity and look forward to applying myself in a productive and assistive way.

Tushar Raichura (Urban and Inner-City Studies) I am a first-year student in the Inner City Work Study Program, which brings an opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills developed in the classroom within a working scenario. This will expand my scope of understanding and the true value of my learning in the professional world. The experience will help focus my purpose and intention and clarify what is or is not a good fit for me personally and professionally. There is often a disparity between theory and practice. In the working world the energy, intention, focus and practice of greater urgency and purpose. The program will help me blend my unique abilities with course material and harmonize with the work environment bringing together teamwork, which is somewhat less prevalent in the classroom. I bring a creative and enthusiastic energy and an ability to view problems from a different perspective. This might be akin to a mindful practice by looking at different sides of an object (a concept in one’s mind) and seeing other perspectives without attachment to a single theory or idea. By accepting and entering the natural flow of life I now find myself in the most ideal circumstance that meshes perfectly with my lifelong beliefs about nature, environment, and humanity. 

Tyra Dunits (Sociology) I am a 21-year-old Sociology major at the University of Winnipeg. I am interested in the Inner-City Work Program because the experience will allow me to apply knowledge that I have learned throughout my academic career in a real-world setting. I am particularly interested in learning how non-profit work operates within the larger system of capitalism. Being a descendent of white settlers, I want to use my privilege to act as an ally and listen and learn about reconciliation from marginalized groups of people. By the end of the summer, I hope to have a better understanding of how I can take an active role in working towards reconciliation in my community.