Hi, my name is Shania. I was one of the summer students at NWT Literacy Council, and this was my experience working here. It was a fun environment and laid-back job; the people who work here are friendly and understanding. I had many questions, and learned a lot about how to be in a workplace and communicate properly. The staff here made the job exciting. There were many tasks to be done such as cutting a lot of paper, choosing great books to give away, even helping paint a shelf which was interesting (I’ve never used sandpaper before).
Prior to working here, I participated in ENY (Empowering Northern Youth) program facilitated by NWTLC. By learning great work ethics, communication skills and the importance of being on time, I felt prepared to start work. This program motivated me to work harder for my kids, and the two facilitators were very helpful. I would recommend the program to anyone. After my placement, I wanted to continue working for the summer. I saw an ad on the NWT Literacy Council web page for an Early Childhood assistant and felt it would be a great fit for me, since I have my own children and enjoy working with other children too.
With the great skills gained in the ENY program, I put forward to my new job successfully. We started packing kits for Dolly Parton’s Imaginary Library. That was fun to work on because it is a project that helps parents encourage their kids to read. Many kids will be happy to get new books to read, and to do the activities that are included in the kits.
I also helped one of the employees with picnics she hosts for newcomer families. I met many families, liked the food, and enjoyed interacting with children by doing crafts and hosting outdoor activities like making bubbles. I enjoyed making the bubbles and I’ll try it with my kids.
At first, I was shy; but taking the Bookmobile to events made me open more by talking with new people. I overcame my fears and ensured the job was done. The other summer student made it relaxed, and we had an enjoyable time giving out books and trying out the activities. Seeing kids' faces light up with a new book made me excited for them.
I’m a young mother of two and chose to work full-time. This was helpful for gaining experience for future jobs and for trying to balance work and family. I had great family support to take over and watch the kids. This made it comfortable coming to work every day and I’m thankful for their effort. Over the course of my job here, I felt more confident accomplishing tasks in a workplace area. I still have many other skills to master in the future, and being a summer student here puts me on the right path of going forward.
- Shania Desjarlais, Summer Student
