Meet the Herd: Emily
Meet one of the Zebra Centre’s Case Navigators, Emily! She shares all about her essential role on our team providing support to children, youth, and their caregivers.
Q: Tell us about your role as a Case Navigator at the Zebra Centre.
Emily: As a Case Navigator, I provide support to children, youth, and their families when they attend the Zebra Centre for a forensic interview. My job is to be a friendly, welcoming face who can help answer questions and offer support during a difficult, uncertain time. After families leave the Centre, I assist them in navigating the criminal justice system by providing resources, emotional support, and file updates.
Q: What does a typical "day in the life" as a Case Navigator look like?
Emily: Most of the time, I am supporting children and youth who are visiting the Centre for a forensic interview. This looks like welcoming them, letting them know what to expect during their visit, and making sure they feel as comfortable as possible, whether that be by offering snacks or a visit with one of our facility dogs. I remind every single kiddo that they are in charge in the interview room, and that they get to decide how to tell their story.
While kiddos are in their interview, I connect with their non-offending caregivers or other safe support people to provide resources, answer questions, and offer emotional support. Finally, when the interview is done, I get to bring the kiddo to the toy closet to pick something out to take home!
When I am not providing face-to-face support, I connect with families by phone, text, and email to see how they're doing and keep them informed about their file. I reach out to every family that visits the Zebra Centre a few days after their visit to provide an initial check-in and resources. Beyond that, you'll find me doing admin work or connecting with my colleagues!
Q: What do you love most about your role?
Emily: I love getting to connect with kiddos and making a challenging time feel a little lighter and less scary for them. I also really enjoy supporting caregivers! Coming to the Zebra Centre is not only difficult for the child, but also for the child's family. It is very rewarding to help connect non-offending adults with the resources and skills they need to support their child's healing.
Q: What is your proudest moment at the Zebra Centre so far?
Emily: It has been an absolute honour to build trust with children, youth, and families who are initially very scared, hesitant, or guarded about being at the Zebra Centre. Families visit us during an incredibly stressful and vulnerable time, and there are so many valid reasons why a child or their parent(s) might be scared of the process. For example, sometimes a kiddo is very fearful about going into the interview room without their parent. One way that we can lessen their anxiety is to use a ball of yarn, with the kiddo holding one end of the string, and the parent holding the other. At any point, the kiddo can pull on the string and have their parent pull back to let them know they're there. In this way, the two can stay connected while still allowing the interview to proceed. Meeting each family where they are at, listening to their concerns, working collaboratively with them to help them feel safe throughout the process, and seeing them leave feeling relieved and hopeful is one of my greatest joys at Zebra.
Q: What motivates you to show your stripes?
Emily: I strive every day to help children and their families feel seen, heard, resourced, and less alone as they navigate a very difficult chapter in their lives.
Q: Lastly, share a surprising or fun fact about you.
Emily:I love to knit! If you see me wearing a sweater (especially in the winter), there's a decent chance that I knit it myself.