By: Angela Britton, Student Assistant (NS GovLab)
I did not expect that my first job out of college would be working with the Government.
I also did not realize such innovative and exciting change-making was happening in Nova Scotia. Or that my social services education would allow me the skills to crossover into this work! I am so happy to be here.
Making the decision to go back to school as a mature student was the first step that led me to working for NS GovLab. I went into the Social Services program at NSCC knowing that I wanted to be involved in making change in the world eventually. But I was so focused on absorbing as much as I could in the learning environment, that I hadn’t thought about what opportunities might come next.
In my program, what began to stand out to me were the areas of intersection in our communities that required greater understanding and support. Intersectionality continued to show up as a theme to me throughout my learning, and now that I am graduating, I am grateful to have started this position with NS GovLab, where testing and developing new ways to meet the needs of Seniors from intersectional communities is part of the goal.
While the classic parts of education — classes, papers and diploma — may be thought of traditionally as where we will find our strongest learning, the most enriching learning I had in the college environment was during the pandemic. I had the opportunity to work with student services staff to create community and engagement during online learning at NSCC. As vice president of our student association, and as the student member of several committees, I had the opportunity to work with a variety of NSCC staff provincially and was able to bring a different perspective to their working projects as the first student to be included. Aiding in developing and promoting updated sexual safety policy, mental health resources, wellness activities, student engagement prototypes and LGBTQ2IA+ programming and support while maintaining my work as a student, gave me the chance to explore my desire to create connection in intersecting communities in real time, as we were all trying to figure out how to deal in this new, online, COVID-safe world.
After my first couple of weeks at NS GovLab, I feel like I may get the chance to continue this real time learning by doing. I look forward to continuing a collaborative working and learning process at NS GovLab. The unique and innovative approach to de-constructing and restructuring the ways we think and support our communities is an important step to be taking in Government. To be a part of the team working on this forward-thinking approach is an opportunity I value greatly.
I am so excited to be here and absorb everything I can from this amazing team. I hope to apply the learning and experiences I have this summer with NS GovLab to my future work as a change-maker, in the field of social services and wherever my journey may lead me next.
