By Aygul Khalaileh
Many of our Community Educators who have been in the network for a while now know and remember Jess. She worked with Rent Smart from 2015 until she left for maternity leave in 2019. She was the friendly voice of Rent Smart, someone you could call or email if you need support and whatever you need, she’ll be there for you. As I stepped into her role, I knew I had big shoes to fill. She was that person who you could trust, connect to immediately and wouldn’t hesitate calling just to say hello.
Although, Jess has been away for a while before she made the decision to move on to a new adventure, and back into her home town, Kelowna, her departure will be felt equally within our team as well as by many Community Educators. I still get emails from some folks inquiring about her and wanting to connect with her.
Before her big move, Jess agreed to do an interview with me. She shares some of the highlights from her work with Rent Smart, her plans for the future and a message to all Educators.
Although, you’ve been away for a bit for maternity leave, the news that you are leaving us for your next adventure will be sad for many of our Community Educators and partners who have come to know you and appreciate working with you. Can you give us a little update on how you have been and what led to this decision?
Well, I’ve been a new kind of busy! I now have a full blown toddler that I spend my time with. I swapped the office for the park and have been really enjoying the new role. We are currently packing up to make the big move to Kelowna to be closer to family and have childcare so I can start a new endeavour.
What did you enjoy most about your role at Rent Smart?
I really enjoyed our team and definitely miss feeling being a part of the change we were working towards. My favourite part of my role as Program Coordinator was getting out in the community and spending time with educators and participants and really seeing the impact the program was making.
What was the biggest challenge in your work?
I think the biggest challenge I felt, and this may be true for all busy nonprofits, was constantly being pulled in a million different directions. This pull often made me feel like I wasn’t able to give the attention and time that was required to turn out a quality product.
I have worked here for a bit since you left and often hear about the laughter and funny moments you had with the team while working here. Can you recall one of those funny situations?
Oh boy! We had so many laughs. A few highlights that come to mind is doing an Educator training in Winnipeg with Susana and meeting so many great people there doing amazing work and secondly, all of the podcasting sessions Beth and I did. With podcasting there was such a steep learning curve which led to some very funny and embarrassing moments.
What was the most valuable lesson you have learnt from this job?
Good question! That’s tough to narrow down. One really valuable lesson is the importance of collaboration in the sector. I have always liked the idea of collective impact and I think when done well in a community it can be very effective. The challenge with this is that staff are generally working at max capacity so being able to find the time to work collaboratively with other organizations can be daunting.
What’s next for you?
I am currently in the planning stages of a new endeavour that will deliver locally sourced nourishing meals to new parents. Food security has always been an interest of mine so I am excited to partner with Okanagan suppliers and get more involved in that world. Besides that, we are hoping to continue beekeeping in Kelowna and sell honey and pollen part time as well!
If you had a magic wand… (just kidding). What changes would you like to see in the housing/homelessness sector as a priority?
Oh what a question! Since having my son, I have been thinking a lot about childhood trauma and how trauma intersects mental health and substance use. Of course I have always believed in the importance of prevention, however now I see how prevention needs to start at childhood with supported families. I believe that breaking the cycle of trauma would prevent many paths leading to homelessness.
What would you like to say or wish to our educators?
Thanks for all you do! It was always inspiring to meet educators doing important work in their communities. I hope this summer brings you some time to take care of yourself and reflect on your work.