Learning and Adaptation
I have been with the Indigenous Student Centre (ISC) from Spring 2022 - Fall 2022 term. I work as a Communications Assistant, which means handling all social media platforms, the bi-weekly newsletter, creating content, and connecting with students and staff.
Going into my first term with the ISC, I didn’t have much experience in communication, and what is required of this role, only that I would be working with social media. I have used different media platforms and was able to create mediocre graphic designs, but I wasn’t sure how this would work for this role. I also hadn’t worked in a professional setting before, as most of my part-time jobs were in the service industry, so this role was daunting. It made me wonder, am I fit for this position? Can I grow in a fast paced environment? How would I take feedback and ask for support? I applied for this position, having little experience and as a GSWS major, I was stunned. However, I soon realised that co-op is a place to learn and grow, and with the help of the amazing staff here, I was able to transition rather
smoothly.
Accomplishments and Challenges
I’ve tackled on many projects/collaborations since being here, for instance, starting a TikTok account for the ISC and create relatable content for students to engage with, Staff Sundays, connecting with the SFU Communications and Marketing team, filming videos for the Indigenous Market and Red Dress Day, and collaborating with Health and Counselling co-op students. While I continue to receive support from fellow co-op students and feedback from the team, I have also done research on my own to ensure I am creating content that is helpful and marketable to students and staff.
Working with the ISC for two terms, now heading into my third term and I can confidently say that the growth I’ve seen in myself is exceptional! I am very content with how well I’ve been able to manage working on different patterns, meeting tight deadlines, running meetings, and overall taking on a leadership role. I often look back at the work I did at the beginning of the term, and notice how awkward and shy I was about my graphic designs, interacting with team members, and partaking in meetings. However, the growth is gradual, and with every month I’ve spent at the ISC, I’ve noticed how amazing my work has become, and that will only continue to grow!
Going into my 3rd work term with the ISC, I am excited to expand my role and take on more responsibilities. I want to be able to initiate engagement with a wider audience of students, collaborate with new departments, continue to try new marketing tactics, and grow my relationships with each of my team members. I’ve noticed how certain skills I had to offer, such as managing multiple projects at once, organising meetings and events, and working on a tight deadline, have improved significantly! Therefore, I want to take the time in my Fall 2022 term to work on new parts of myself and skills that haven’t grown as much as I would like!
