Monday, March 26, 2012
Volunteer Manitoba Does Good Work!
Volunteer Manitoba makes giving back to your community a synch!
Rural Manitobans now have the same access to Volunteer Manitoba’s online resource library as Winnipeggers. Dennis Dyck, executive director, said with excitement, that anyone anywhere in the province
can now reserve books online and the library will ship them directly. Dyck is very pleased to offer this service to rural Manitobans. The collection can be searched at
http://vomb.catalogue.manitobaspruce.ca.
Volunteer Manitoba’s mission is to support groups and individuals in the voluntary sector to develop and enhance their capacity to anticipate, understand, celebrate, and meet community needs in
Manitoba. You can see this in action by visiting their convenient location at suite 410 - 5 Donald Street south or online at www.volunteermb.ca. You can even give them a call to check out what’s
happening at 204.477.5180 or toll free: 888.922.4545.
“Volunteer Manitoba is the go to organization when people need information,” Dyck said. “We offer core training and custom training workshops, house a library resource centre, training department and a
volunteer referral area,” he said.
In his position for close to eight years and Dyck says he loves what he does every day.
“I love my job. I love waking up and coming into work every day. I like hearing about all the great things volunteers in Manitoba are doing,” he said.
Volunteer Manitoba has a staff of eight members that work hard year round to ensure all Manitobans have the resources they need to keep updated about the nonprofit sector in Manitoba.
Dyck also said that Volunteer Manitoba actively promotes youth volunteerism through their Manitoba Youth Volunteer Opportunities Program or MYVOP at http://www.myvop.ca. This site provides information
on youth volunteer postings, information about why volunteering is important, a resource centre and resume help.
Every April during volunteer week, April 15- April 21, Volunteer Manitoba hosts their awards dinner.
“This is such a feel good event,” Dyck said. “When I hear what these individuals have done, I sit there in awe of them. How much work they do in their communities, well, they’re just gold nuggets,” he
said.
Organizations greatly benefit from Volunteer Manitoba services. Organizations can tap into accessing training programs and workshops, assistance with recruiting volunteers and much much more.
Carol Finlay, director, education and training development at the Arts and Cultural Industries Association or (ACI) said they have actively partnered with Volunteer Manitoba over the years.
“ACI Manitoba and Volunteer Manitoba have gotten together to produce, promote and deliver training programs such as our upcoming course, The Art of Collaboration. We have also used them to find
volunteers,” Finlay said.
Finlay also said that ACI and Volunteer Manitoba have partnered to produce a specialized volunteer management course for the arts and culture sector which will be delivered all over the province.
“The program is called “Looking to the Future…Engaging Today and Tomorrow’s Volunteer” and it is a one day volunteer management workshop for busy arts professionals.”
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Interview with Aboriginal Elder
This is another excerpt of an interview I did with an Aboriginal elder for my Aboriginal Issues Assignment on March 17/2012
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Aboriginal Issues Assignment
For my journalism class, my instructor gave us an assignment that entailed writing a blog post about an Aboriginal issue. Last week our class went to see an exhibit at the University of Manitoba about the history of residential schools.
It was very impactful and I highly suggest seeing it. I have been thinking about the exhibit ever since and have not been able to get the images and stories out of my mind.
I realized at the start of this assignment, I didn’t know very many Aboriginal people that I could talk to. I tried the social media avenue to connect to sources, but it still wasn’t easy.
I had a few people that I knew on facebook decline the interview due to busy schedules and some people said they would ask their friends but were not sure if they would be comfortable because this was a sensitive topic. It took me all week to just find sources that were open to discussing this topic with me. I thought this was interesting in itself.
I have a step son, Alix who is Ojibway. He is 11 ½ years old. I thought it would be interesting to talk to him about what he thought was an important Aboriginal issue. I decided to take the issue Alix thought to be important and address it with Aboriginal adults.
Alix Catagas goes to Greenway School that teaches students from kindergarten to grade six. Greenway school is located on Burnell Street and St. Mathews Avenue and Alix has attended this school since he was in kindergarten. Alix said he attends powwow classes every Wednesday from 4:00pm-5:00pm and likes it because he learns about his culture, the medicines and how Aboriginal people dance.
He also said he learns when ceremonies are going on in his community.
When I asked Alix what Aboriginal issue was important to him he had a clear answer immediately.
“I feel that the Aboriginal culture deserves more respect and representation in my community. I would like to see this in the form of more Aboriginal murals, festivals and statues placed throughout my community. I would like to see more programming in community centers geared toward Aboriginal culture too,” he said.
I was so proud of Alix to articulate such a thoughtful response. My husband and I also agreed with Alix As we drove around his neighbourhood to see symbols or identifying businesses that represented the Aboriginal culture we could not see very much.
Glenn Chocrane, 59 years old and father of three was born and raised in the North End. Glenn’s spirit name is Hunting Eagle that suggests he is supposed to work with younger people to open doors for them.
According to Glenn Cochrane’s biography, Cochrane is a visionary pipe carrier who received his rights of passage and teachings mainly through Elder Don Cardinal and his grandmother.
Glenn has been working in the Aboriginal Community for over 30 years in various capacities. He is an activist, educator and Aboriginal cultural leader who held various management and human service positions with Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal non-profit, private and governmental organizations. Glenn was also the Director of the former gang prevention program for the City of Winnipeg Police Service.
Chocrane lives at his apartment at the student residents on Higgins Street located at the Aboriginal Centre at the campus.
This is where I met him for the interview. His passion pride for his culture is evident by his eagerness to share his culture with me through stories and Aboriginal art throughout his apartment.
“Adults forget that children see what goes on around them,” he said immediately.
“If the picture Aboriginal youth see is crime and poverty and nothing visual but boarded houses and boarded up businesses than what else do they have to aspire to? There does need to be more business and symbols that reflect where people have come from, he said”
Chocrane said, “We have to start over again and re introduce ourselves to each other. There is no need for poverty or racism anymore. Life is too short.”
He also said, “Community itself is not healthy because of the racism that is still alive and well. The work ethic with living in the city is a lot different from where they came from on the reserve or the community where they lived. They face culture shock.”
Chocrane also said, “We have a generation now that can do it. Things are changing. I see the community changing. I know we can fit in but we have to know how to fit in. The support from the political world and our leadership has to be on board and they are too busy fighting each other.”
My concern is he said, “Other races in different communities patronize their own businesses and this helps their communities survive. Hispanic and China town groups are good examples. Our people are yet to come together to do things and share things in order to support each other.”
Chocrane also said, “The government has done such a good job of segregating each other that it is difficult now. Our young people’s minds see what is in front of them and around them. They become their environment. If it is poverty, drugs alcohol and gangs that young people see, this is what you aspire to become. The environment dictates what these people aspire to be. Change is happening but it is slow going.”
Lara McCabe, 33, entrepreneur and owner of Peach Jam Skates located at the Forks is Métis.
McCabe said “There are some amazing programs that are happening in the city that encourage Aboriginal people, including youth, to get involved with artistic and cultural endeavors. It may be helpful to get involved directly with these programs so to add personally to the expression of Aboriginal youth in the city.”
McCabe also said “I think it's great that youth are getting involved in their culture at a young age and that they are able to articulate the feelings and ideas that they have to people that are willing to listen.”
Monday, March 12, 2012
Why I Love Journalism
The things I love about journalism:
Curiosity
All the fantastic people you would otherwise not get to meet
Promoting conversation
Continuous learning
The people behind the stories
Being there
Being aware
Being objective
Being present
Giving respect
Attention to details
Providing people with a voice
Painting a picture
The importance of word choice
Linking things together to build a story
Saying off the record
Creating news
Having a sense of urgency
Knowing when to end the story by feeling it
Seeing your name in print
Making people think
Learning how people feel
What things do you love about it?
Curiosity
All the fantastic people you would otherwise not get to meet
Promoting conversation
Continuous learning
The people behind the stories
Being there
Being aware
Being objective
Being present
Giving respect
Attention to details
Providing people with a voice
Painting a picture
The importance of word choice
Linking things together to build a story
Saying off the record
Creating news
Having a sense of urgency
Knowing when to end the story by feeling it
Seeing your name in print
Making people think
Learning how people feel
What things do you love about it?
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The Savage War Assignment
The Savage War:
What worked for you?
The details really worked for me. The details really made me feel like I was there beside the main character. I felt the excitement and the horror of it all.
I liked the insightful descriptions of how the Taliban functioned. I also liked hearing about the inside functioning of the Canadian military and how their public image is managed on a journalism and public relations level.
I really enjoyed the tone of the book. It wasn’t a difficult read. Though it was long, it wasn’t difficult.
What didn’t work for you?
I found the book to be very long and I felt like I would never get through it at times. I felt that the chapters were dauntingly large and some things could have been edited out. At some points I was bored and trailed off and it was hard to stay focused.
What can journalists learn from this book?
From reading this book, I think journalists will learn that it is hard to desensitize yourself from the stories you are telling when they involve a different value system to that of your own.
In chapter two, Brewster discusses suicide bombings and what some of the globe and mail journalists found when arriving on the scene to see the remains of a suicide bomber. What they saw and had a deep impact on them.
Louie the photographer said, It’s Fucked, man. Why would anybody want to do that to themselves?”
Then Brewster writes none of us had any answers.
I also think Savage War will teach journalists that talking about situations and events is great but actually being there to see these situations unfold for puts a whole new meaning to truly understanding the story is being told.
On page 12 in chapter 2 Brewster writes:
It was the first time I actually felt like a hostage of the army. They could tell us as much or as little as they wanted, and they often chose the latter. In this case, they chose to say nothing, or next to nothing, which was probably worse. News, especially big news, abhors a vacuum.
How willfully inarticulate the Canadian military could be. Individual soldiers were, I found were wonderfully colourful and quotable, but the Canadian military as an institution seemed quite pleased to have a stranglehold on information and the movement of journalists.
What effect did the Savage War have on you?
It really made me see how Afghanistan is very much like its own operation. It made me really appreciate the dangers that journalist face when they are covering stories there. It made me imagine the stress that journalists would go through and how much they would sacrifice to get the story.
I think it made me see that not everyone could do this job and you really have to have an understanding of the culture and a respect for the customs to form effective relationships there.
How does this book compare with another non-fiction work about Afghanistan? Provide highlights of that other work?
I watched a documentary called Desert Lions by Lt. Col Mike Vernon. He came to visit journalism students in the Creative Communications program at Red River College to talk about his experience.
When I watched Desert Lions, I made a mental note to compare it to my experience reading The Savage War. What I liked about the documentary was that it was very visual and I knew exactly what I was seeing.
When I was reading The Savage War, much more was left to my imagination and interpretation of the written word. I liked seeing Afghanistan in a documentary because the footage seemed more real and raw.
I really liked seeing the footage of the soldiers when they were having their down time. It really made me see them as actual people and not trained machines. They too get super hot in the heat and sometimes needed to take their uniforms off and walk around in just their underwear.
I often wondered how soldiers could endure such hot temperatures and this showed me they had their breaking points to and they were human just like me.
I really saw the sense of urgency in the soldiers that were being filmed. When something went wrong, they immediately switched into soldier mode.
I also liked seeing how important a sense of humour was. In the documentary, the main fridge on the base was down and the soldiers were joking around saying they hoped they wouldn’t have tones of mayonnaise delivered that day. They all were able to laugh it out which made an awkward situation a bit more manageable. A sense of humour really shows a soldiers’ positive attitude.
I also thought it was interesting when the important attributes that a soldier should have was discussed. Patience for example, was the number one important skill because soldiers are constantly managing different demands. They are managing cultural demands, as well as demands from back home and finally, demands from higher ranks.
Another skill that was important for a soldier to demonstrate is restraint. When dealing in a different country with major language and cultural barriers, restraint would be the most important skill to hone. It is an important trait for a soldier to demonstrate restraint when conversing with Afghan soldiers specifically. This can be especially true when frustration builds and you are holding a loaded weapon.
I also thought it was interesting when the documentary described Afghan soldiers as being simple but effective. Other lines in the documentary that resonated with me were soldiers need to air, vent and grieve.
I thought this was an interesting because I would not have necessarily thought of the grieving part so much going hand and hand with the others. Primitive not offensive was another phrase I thought was insightful.
Finally, I thought it was very interesting when it was stated we are here to mentor them, not be and Afghan soldier. I thought that was very important to draw that line of distinction. I could imagine that it could at times become a grey area.
What worked for you?
The details really worked for me. The details really made me feel like I was there beside the main character. I felt the excitement and the horror of it all.
I liked the insightful descriptions of how the Taliban functioned. I also liked hearing about the inside functioning of the Canadian military and how their public image is managed on a journalism and public relations level.
I really enjoyed the tone of the book. It wasn’t a difficult read. Though it was long, it wasn’t difficult.
What didn’t work for you?
I found the book to be very long and I felt like I would never get through it at times. I felt that the chapters were dauntingly large and some things could have been edited out. At some points I was bored and trailed off and it was hard to stay focused.
What can journalists learn from this book?
From reading this book, I think journalists will learn that it is hard to desensitize yourself from the stories you are telling when they involve a different value system to that of your own.
In chapter two, Brewster discusses suicide bombings and what some of the globe and mail journalists found when arriving on the scene to see the remains of a suicide bomber. What they saw and had a deep impact on them.
Louie the photographer said, It’s Fucked, man. Why would anybody want to do that to themselves?”
Then Brewster writes none of us had any answers.
I also think Savage War will teach journalists that talking about situations and events is great but actually being there to see these situations unfold for puts a whole new meaning to truly understanding the story is being told.
On page 12 in chapter 2 Brewster writes:
It was the first time I actually felt like a hostage of the army. They could tell us as much or as little as they wanted, and they often chose the latter. In this case, they chose to say nothing, or next to nothing, which was probably worse. News, especially big news, abhors a vacuum.
How willfully inarticulate the Canadian military could be. Individual soldiers were, I found were wonderfully colourful and quotable, but the Canadian military as an institution seemed quite pleased to have a stranglehold on information and the movement of journalists.
What effect did the Savage War have on you?
It really made me see how Afghanistan is very much like its own operation. It made me really appreciate the dangers that journalist face when they are covering stories there. It made me imagine the stress that journalists would go through and how much they would sacrifice to get the story.
I think it made me see that not everyone could do this job and you really have to have an understanding of the culture and a respect for the customs to form effective relationships there.
How does this book compare with another non-fiction work about Afghanistan? Provide highlights of that other work?
I watched a documentary called Desert Lions by Lt. Col Mike Vernon. He came to visit journalism students in the Creative Communications program at Red River College to talk about his experience.
When I watched Desert Lions, I made a mental note to compare it to my experience reading The Savage War. What I liked about the documentary was that it was very visual and I knew exactly what I was seeing.
When I was reading The Savage War, much more was left to my imagination and interpretation of the written word. I liked seeing Afghanistan in a documentary because the footage seemed more real and raw.
I really liked seeing the footage of the soldiers when they were having their down time. It really made me see them as actual people and not trained machines. They too get super hot in the heat and sometimes needed to take their uniforms off and walk around in just their underwear.
I often wondered how soldiers could endure such hot temperatures and this showed me they had their breaking points to and they were human just like me.
I really saw the sense of urgency in the soldiers that were being filmed. When something went wrong, they immediately switched into soldier mode.
I also liked seeing how important a sense of humour was. In the documentary, the main fridge on the base was down and the soldiers were joking around saying they hoped they wouldn’t have tones of mayonnaise delivered that day. They all were able to laugh it out which made an awkward situation a bit more manageable. A sense of humour really shows a soldiers’ positive attitude.
I also thought it was interesting when the important attributes that a soldier should have was discussed. Patience for example, was the number one important skill because soldiers are constantly managing different demands. They are managing cultural demands, as well as demands from back home and finally, demands from higher ranks.
Another skill that was important for a soldier to demonstrate is restraint. When dealing in a different country with major language and cultural barriers, restraint would be the most important skill to hone. It is an important trait for a soldier to demonstrate restraint when conversing with Afghan soldiers specifically. This can be especially true when frustration builds and you are holding a loaded weapon.
I also thought it was interesting when the documentary described Afghan soldiers as being simple but effective. Other lines in the documentary that resonated with me were soldiers need to air, vent and grieve.
I thought this was an interesting because I would not have necessarily thought of the grieving part so much going hand and hand with the others. Primitive not offensive was another phrase I thought was insightful.
Finally, I thought it was very interesting when it was stated we are here to mentor them, not be and Afghan soldier. I thought that was very important to draw that line of distinction. I could imagine that it could at times become a grey area.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Should Doors Open For Door to Door Canvassers?
February represents heart awareness month. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba is in full swing with their door to door fundraising campaign that started on February 1, 2012.
Bryce J. McEwen, communications coordinator for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba said the campaign is one of the original fundraising initiatives the foundation started with and said the campaign is evaluated each year.
“The Foundation’s Door-to-Door campaign is the most successful grassroots fundraiser for the foundation, providing an excellent return on investment and raising nearly $700,000 each year in the province. “
McEwen also said the campaign raises more than just funds.
“The campaign raises life-saving awareness in the fight against heart disease and stroke. Thanks to our valued volunteers we are able to reach over 200,000 homes in both urban and rural areas across the province.”
McEwan also said volunteer participation is down slightly from last year but they are very close to their targets.
Barb Gemmell, a nonprofit expert, said several health organizations in Manitoba recruit for door to door volunteers.
“It is more difficult to get people to go door to door these days and the results of a door to door campaign are definitely impacted by the motivation and commitment of the volunteer canvassers.”
Amaro Silva, executive director for the Better Business Bureau of Manitoba can understand why charities use the door to door fundraising strategy but is does have some concern.
“In today’s world said Silva, with the number of schemes and scams on the go on a regular basis, people are probably wary and rightly so.”
Silva also said the Better Business Bureau advises people to be very careful of door to door solicitations. He said to ensure residents look for proper uniforms and to carefully check the canvassers identification. He recommends the legitimate charities ensure their volunteer canvassers are armed with uniforms, name tags charity id etc.
Silva said most scams take the form of a scatter gun approach where criminals will target anyone they think they can scam. For door to door scams though, criminals will target upper income neighbourhoods.
VISUALISATION POSSIBILITIES
When I think of visualizing this story, I think there are many options.
A chart outlining the different dates of when the various different non profits hold their door to door canvassing campaigns would be useful to the reader and also assist the organizations in raising awareness.
A map of upper income areas in the province would be useful so readers can see what areas are most likely to be targeted by criminals.
A graph depicting volunteer involvement with different charities over the years could also be used to demonstrate volunteer trends.
A graph outlining the results of door to door fundraising totals over the years from various different chairities in the city to demonstrate if this type of fundraiser is still successful could also be helpful in portraying this story visually.
Mapping out the number of victims of door to door scams could also be another useful visual component. If of course, these stats are available and current.
For the third part of the assignment, I didn't get very far with it unfortunately but I will try again. I did take a look at the tools that we learned in class though and found this very useful.
Bryce J. McEwen, communications coordinator for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba said the campaign is one of the original fundraising initiatives the foundation started with and said the campaign is evaluated each year.
“The Foundation’s Door-to-Door campaign is the most successful grassroots fundraiser for the foundation, providing an excellent return on investment and raising nearly $700,000 each year in the province. “
McEwen also said the campaign raises more than just funds.
“The campaign raises life-saving awareness in the fight against heart disease and stroke. Thanks to our valued volunteers we are able to reach over 200,000 homes in both urban and rural areas across the province.”
McEwan also said volunteer participation is down slightly from last year but they are very close to their targets.
Barb Gemmell, a nonprofit expert, said several health organizations in Manitoba recruit for door to door volunteers.
“It is more difficult to get people to go door to door these days and the results of a door to door campaign are definitely impacted by the motivation and commitment of the volunteer canvassers.”
Amaro Silva, executive director for the Better Business Bureau of Manitoba can understand why charities use the door to door fundraising strategy but is does have some concern.
“In today’s world said Silva, with the number of schemes and scams on the go on a regular basis, people are probably wary and rightly so.”
Silva also said the Better Business Bureau advises people to be very careful of door to door solicitations. He said to ensure residents look for proper uniforms and to carefully check the canvassers identification. He recommends the legitimate charities ensure their volunteer canvassers are armed with uniforms, name tags charity id etc.
Silva said most scams take the form of a scatter gun approach where criminals will target anyone they think they can scam. For door to door scams though, criminals will target upper income neighbourhoods.
VISUALISATION POSSIBILITIES
When I think of visualizing this story, I think there are many options.
A chart outlining the different dates of when the various different non profits hold their door to door canvassing campaigns would be useful to the reader and also assist the organizations in raising awareness.
A map of upper income areas in the province would be useful so readers can see what areas are most likely to be targeted by criminals.
A graph depicting volunteer involvement with different charities over the years could also be used to demonstrate volunteer trends.
A graph outlining the results of door to door fundraising totals over the years from various different chairities in the city to demonstrate if this type of fundraiser is still successful could also be helpful in portraying this story visually.
Mapping out the number of victims of door to door scams could also be another useful visual component. If of course, these stats are available and current.
For the third part of the assignment, I didn't get very far with it unfortunately but I will try again. I did take a look at the tools that we learned in class though and found this very useful.
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Diabetes Unscripted, The Caregiver Diaries
This past week I handed in my IPP or my Independent Professional Project. This is a huge accomplishment as I have been working on my IPP for a year and a half. My IPP is a book called Diabetes Unscripted, The Caregiver Diaries.
Diabetes Unscripted is about real life caregivers who share their stories about being a caregiver for someone living with diabetes. I became interested in pursuing the idea of researching and sharing caregiver stories because my own family has been impacted by type II diabetes. My mom is the primary caregiver for my dad and has looked after him for many years. I was inspired by my mother’s compassion and ability to care for my dad but it hasn’t always been easy.
My parents’ situation provided me with the foundation to understand what it is like for someone caring for someone living with the disease. As a caregiver, you are giving to someone on a daily basis. I kept on thinking to myself, who cares for the caregiver though? I wanted to create a caregivers’ companion if you will, a book for the caregivers to turn to when they need support. I wanted to provide them with the opportunity to relate to people in their situation where they can receive a source of inspiration, motivation and or comfort from sharing similar stories without having to leave the comfort of their own home. Caregivers can see themselves in this book and know they are not alone.
When I started to recruit caregivers for the project, My goal was to gather caregivers who were very different from each other so I could represent as many different situations as possible. In total, I was able to recruit nine caregivers who were willing to share their stories with me. Seven of them are diabetes related stories while two are not. These two caregiving stories however, are just as powerful and relevant.
I asked participants to journal their emotions for a three month period and to be as open and honest about their feelings as possible. I wanted them to treat their journal entries as their actual diary. That is why the title is also called The Caregiver Diaries. For those caregivers that were unable to journal, I interviewed them and compiled their information together. During the editing process, I worked very hard at not losing the authentic voice of the caregivers and kept their tones and words as authentic as possible.
Due to the sensitive and personal nature of the subject, some participants asked to remain anonymous. In this situation, alias names were used while others were open to sharing this story and even provided their photographs. At the start of each chapter, a visual aid is used that the subject provided to represent them. As well, a piece of music reflecting the theme of each situation is inserted underneath the photograph.
I would like to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to Lori Berard, Head Nurse Manager at the Diabetes Research Group in Winnipeg located at the Health Science Centre. She is also Chair-Elect for the Canadian Diabetes Association. I cold called Lori back in October, 2011 and told her about my plans for Diabetes Unscripted. She felt the project was very important. I asked her to write the foreword in the book and she agreed. Thanks to Lori, I was also able to receive funding for printing costs that is much appreciated.
I will be holding a book launch for Diabetes Unscripted, The Caregiver Diaries on March 8, 2012 at 7:30pm at McNally Robinson in Grant Park Shopping Centre. I am thrilled with the feedback I have been receiving about this project and I am hopeful that Diabetes Unscripted, The Caregiver Diaries will help many people.
Diabetes Unscripted is about real life caregivers who share their stories about being a caregiver for someone living with diabetes. I became interested in pursuing the idea of researching and sharing caregiver stories because my own family has been impacted by type II diabetes. My mom is the primary caregiver for my dad and has looked after him for many years. I was inspired by my mother’s compassion and ability to care for my dad but it hasn’t always been easy.
My parents’ situation provided me with the foundation to understand what it is like for someone caring for someone living with the disease. As a caregiver, you are giving to someone on a daily basis. I kept on thinking to myself, who cares for the caregiver though? I wanted to create a caregivers’ companion if you will, a book for the caregivers to turn to when they need support. I wanted to provide them with the opportunity to relate to people in their situation where they can receive a source of inspiration, motivation and or comfort from sharing similar stories without having to leave the comfort of their own home. Caregivers can see themselves in this book and know they are not alone.
When I started to recruit caregivers for the project, My goal was to gather caregivers who were very different from each other so I could represent as many different situations as possible. In total, I was able to recruit nine caregivers who were willing to share their stories with me. Seven of them are diabetes related stories while two are not. These two caregiving stories however, are just as powerful and relevant.
I asked participants to journal their emotions for a three month period and to be as open and honest about their feelings as possible. I wanted them to treat their journal entries as their actual diary. That is why the title is also called The Caregiver Diaries. For those caregivers that were unable to journal, I interviewed them and compiled their information together. During the editing process, I worked very hard at not losing the authentic voice of the caregivers and kept their tones and words as authentic as possible.
Due to the sensitive and personal nature of the subject, some participants asked to remain anonymous. In this situation, alias names were used while others were open to sharing this story and even provided their photographs. At the start of each chapter, a visual aid is used that the subject provided to represent them. As well, a piece of music reflecting the theme of each situation is inserted underneath the photograph.
I would like to take this opportunity to say a special thank you to Lori Berard, Head Nurse Manager at the Diabetes Research Group in Winnipeg located at the Health Science Centre. She is also Chair-Elect for the Canadian Diabetes Association. I cold called Lori back in October, 2011 and told her about my plans for Diabetes Unscripted. She felt the project was very important. I asked her to write the foreword in the book and she agreed. Thanks to Lori, I was also able to receive funding for printing costs that is much appreciated.
I will be holding a book launch for Diabetes Unscripted, The Caregiver Diaries on March 8, 2012 at 7:30pm at McNally Robinson in Grant Park Shopping Centre. I am thrilled with the feedback I have been receiving about this project and I am hopeful that Diabetes Unscripted, The Caregiver Diaries will help many people.
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Valentine’s Day Perspectives
With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, I wanted investigate how people of different ages react to Valentine's Day. I also wanted to see how how people celebrate the day. Finally, I wanted to learn how people respond to the media coverage that surrounds Valentine's Day and how this affects them.
Tammy Robinson, 32, program manager for Manitoba at the Co-op Housing Federation of Canada said she is a romantic at heart and loves Valentine’s Day.
“I like Valentine’s Day, I am a romantic at heart. I am going to spend it with the people that I adore. I have no specific plans yet though,” she said.
Robinson also feels that the holiday is commercialized.
“I think it is commercialized and the media tries to sell us this impossible dream of what it should be like. I do not have any Valentine’s Day traditions. I just try to be good to myself and the people around me - but I do that every day,” she said.
Rich McKinley, 40, and new dad, has a confession to make about what he’ll be doing this Valentine’s Day.
“Actually.... I'm embarrassed to say, I'm going to the Jets game with a buddy. But, I’ll definitely get my partner flowers…I love her tons. Love the Jest too!”, he said.
I interviewed a cousin of mine who lives in Los Angeles who is 60 years old. I wanted to get his perspective on the day. He asked that I keep his identity concealed.
“I am not doing anything for Valentine’s Day. I only acknowledge this day when I'm dating someone. I make a point of staying away from restaurants on this day because they are overpriced and jammed. How's that for a male point of view?”
Rafid Shahriyar, 20, lives in Bangladesh and is super excited about Valentine’s Day.
“It is a tradition in my country to buy gifts for your special one. Our media here doesn’t really make me feel pressured in any way to have to do something for the day,” he said.
From these responses, there is certainly a variety of different viewpoints about the day itself, what it represents and how the media plays a part as well. I think the important thing is to remember that the foundation of the holiday is to appreciate the one you love. So, to all of you out there, take a moment and appreciate your loved one this Valentine’s Day!
Tammy Robinson, 32, program manager for Manitoba at the Co-op Housing Federation of Canada said she is a romantic at heart and loves Valentine’s Day.
“I like Valentine’s Day, I am a romantic at heart. I am going to spend it with the people that I adore. I have no specific plans yet though,” she said.
Robinson also feels that the holiday is commercialized.
“I think it is commercialized and the media tries to sell us this impossible dream of what it should be like. I do not have any Valentine’s Day traditions. I just try to be good to myself and the people around me - but I do that every day,” she said.
Rich McKinley, 40, and new dad, has a confession to make about what he’ll be doing this Valentine’s Day.
“Actually.... I'm embarrassed to say, I'm going to the Jets game with a buddy. But, I’ll definitely get my partner flowers…I love her tons. Love the Jest too!”, he said.
I interviewed a cousin of mine who lives in Los Angeles who is 60 years old. I wanted to get his perspective on the day. He asked that I keep his identity concealed.
“I am not doing anything for Valentine’s Day. I only acknowledge this day when I'm dating someone. I make a point of staying away from restaurants on this day because they are overpriced and jammed. How's that for a male point of view?”
Rafid Shahriyar, 20, lives in Bangladesh and is super excited about Valentine’s Day.
“It is a tradition in my country to buy gifts for your special one. Our media here doesn’t really make me feel pressured in any way to have to do something for the day,” he said.
From these responses, there is certainly a variety of different viewpoints about the day itself, what it represents and how the media plays a part as well. I think the important thing is to remember that the foundation of the holiday is to appreciate the one you love. So, to all of you out there, take a moment and appreciate your loved one this Valentine’s Day!
Monday, January 30, 2012
February 21 is International Mother Language Day
Today was news story day in journalism class. I chose to investigate International Mother Language Day. Read ahead and check out how some individuals feel about this day and what it stands for.
International Mother Language Day Celebrates Multilingualism
Mark your calendars; February 21 is International Mother Language Day promoting linguistic cultural diversity and multilingualism. This day was first recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on November 17, 1999.
The day has been observed since February 2000 to remember the student demonstrators that perished in 1952. Students were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, Bangladesh because they were protesting to have Bengali recognized as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan.
The United Nations’ website, http://www.un.org/en provides an excellent summary of the day’s significance.
Red River College students also believe their mother language is worth protecting.
Gagandeep Singh Gill, 21, speaks three languages, Punjabi, Hindi and English but Punjabi is his mother language. “Language is a big part of culture,” said Gill. “Now that I know about this important day, I will try to teach other people how to communicate in my language for the entire day on that day,” he said.
Gill also said that this day is important for immigrants whose language may not be a popular one in Canada. “Punjabi is very popular in Vancouver. For me, it isn’t so bad because of this but I can see how this day could be very important for someone whose language isn’t spoken as much,” he said.
Samuel Shaganya, 35, is also a Red River College student and comes from Congo. He speaks Swahili and agrees that acknowledging International Mother Language Day is important and it shows respect.
“This day makes sense to me, many immigrants come here and English overtakes their own language. A day like this can help immigrants remember their own language,” he said.
Shaganya also said, “I speak to my wife and children in Swahili and hope my children won’t forget their language as they get older. Days like this make sure this won’t happen.”
Dr. Terry Janzen, Associate Professor and Department Head of the Department of Linguistics for the University of Manitoba said acknowledging International Mother Language day is vital to raise awareness for people’s heritage and the language of their home.
Dr. Janzen also said, “There are quite a number of Aboriginal languages spoken in Canada, many of which are in serious danger of being lost. It is important that people not lose sight of their heritage in favour of a culture and language that is new for them.”
International Mother Language Day Celebrates Multilingualism
Mark your calendars; February 21 is International Mother Language Day promoting linguistic cultural diversity and multilingualism. This day was first recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on November 17, 1999.
The day has been observed since February 2000 to remember the student demonstrators that perished in 1952. Students were shot and killed by police in Dhaka, Bangladesh because they were protesting to have Bengali recognized as one of the two national languages of the then Pakistan.
The United Nations’ website, http://www.un.org/en provides an excellent summary of the day’s significance.
Red River College students also believe their mother language is worth protecting.
Gagandeep Singh Gill, 21, speaks three languages, Punjabi, Hindi and English but Punjabi is his mother language. “Language is a big part of culture,” said Gill. “Now that I know about this important day, I will try to teach other people how to communicate in my language for the entire day on that day,” he said.
Gill also said that this day is important for immigrants whose language may not be a popular one in Canada. “Punjabi is very popular in Vancouver. For me, it isn’t so bad because of this but I can see how this day could be very important for someone whose language isn’t spoken as much,” he said.
Samuel Shaganya, 35, is also a Red River College student and comes from Congo. He speaks Swahili and agrees that acknowledging International Mother Language Day is important and it shows respect.
“This day makes sense to me, many immigrants come here and English overtakes their own language. A day like this can help immigrants remember their own language,” he said.
Shaganya also said, “I speak to my wife and children in Swahili and hope my children won’t forget their language as they get older. Days like this make sure this won’t happen.”
Dr. Terry Janzen, Associate Professor and Department Head of the Department of Linguistics for the University of Manitoba said acknowledging International Mother Language day is vital to raise awareness for people’s heritage and the language of their home.
Dr. Janzen also said, “There are quite a number of Aboriginal languages spoken in Canada, many of which are in serious danger of being lost. It is important that people not lose sight of their heritage in favour of a culture and language that is new for them.”
Monday, January 23, 2012
Journalism Skills Prove Valuable Even in Non Media Placement
Hello my wonderful followers, I hope you all have settled in to the New Year and have found your groove.
For the first three weeks of January, I completed a work placement component at the Canadian Youth Business Foundation. CYBF assists youth between the ages of 18-34 to start a business and can receive assistance from securing financing, business plan preparation to business mentoring. You can contact the CYBF at www.cybf.ca.
As a CYBF intern, I worked directly with the Director, Joelle Foster. Working alongside Joelle was an experience to say the least. Her energy level and abilities are incredible and she is extremely versatile. She runs the whole CYBF office in Manitoba. Joelle has made this position her own and really extends a helping hand to her young entrepreneurs to ensure they succeed.
What I found interesting about my experience at CYBF was how useful my journalism training is to an organization like this. I thought I would use more public relations skills than my journalism skills but that wasn’t the case. My first task was to interview and write profiles on as many of CYBF entrepreneurs as I could in the time I had. This task took up the majority of my time. I was more than happy to practice my interviewing skills with such inspiring and ambitious people.
I also assisted Joelle with brainstorming sessions about marketing and program development. When doing this, I fell back on using my journalism skills once again. Asking open ended questions such as who, what, where, when and why helped us breakdown our thought process into specific tangible tactics. These tools can be the foundation for many situations and it is a relief for me to know I am comfortable with this thought process.
I also realized how important writing as a skill is in every aspect. I had to do a large amount of editing and tightening up of sentences and reviewing word choices in some of the information I had to review for the profiles. Knowing the difference between decent and poor writing samples was very helpful for me to produce quality work for the organization as a whole.
I also realized that writing about entrepreneurship and the impacts of entrepreneurship in Manitoba is a topic that I find very inspiring to write about., I enjoy helping entrepreneurs with their writing needs and I do think there is a market for this in Winnipeg. Being an entrepreneur requires that you wear several different hats and it is very difficult to be good at all the different things that a required of you. I would like to be a freelance writer for entrepreneurs to help them articulate their story and any other marketing materials they may require.
I hope to do my second work placement with CYBF again in April. I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to Joelle Foster for making my three week internship with CYBF a valuable learning and networking experience.
For the first three weeks of January, I completed a work placement component at the Canadian Youth Business Foundation. CYBF assists youth between the ages of 18-34 to start a business and can receive assistance from securing financing, business plan preparation to business mentoring. You can contact the CYBF at www.cybf.ca.
As a CYBF intern, I worked directly with the Director, Joelle Foster. Working alongside Joelle was an experience to say the least. Her energy level and abilities are incredible and she is extremely versatile. She runs the whole CYBF office in Manitoba. Joelle has made this position her own and really extends a helping hand to her young entrepreneurs to ensure they succeed.
What I found interesting about my experience at CYBF was how useful my journalism training is to an organization like this. I thought I would use more public relations skills than my journalism skills but that wasn’t the case. My first task was to interview and write profiles on as many of CYBF entrepreneurs as I could in the time I had. This task took up the majority of my time. I was more than happy to practice my interviewing skills with such inspiring and ambitious people.
I also assisted Joelle with brainstorming sessions about marketing and program development. When doing this, I fell back on using my journalism skills once again. Asking open ended questions such as who, what, where, when and why helped us breakdown our thought process into specific tangible tactics. These tools can be the foundation for many situations and it is a relief for me to know I am comfortable with this thought process.
I also realized how important writing as a skill is in every aspect. I had to do a large amount of editing and tightening up of sentences and reviewing word choices in some of the information I had to review for the profiles. Knowing the difference between decent and poor writing samples was very helpful for me to produce quality work for the organization as a whole.
I also realized that writing about entrepreneurship and the impacts of entrepreneurship in Manitoba is a topic that I find very inspiring to write about., I enjoy helping entrepreneurs with their writing needs and I do think there is a market for this in Winnipeg. Being an entrepreneur requires that you wear several different hats and it is very difficult to be good at all the different things that a required of you. I would like to be a freelance writer for entrepreneurs to help them articulate their story and any other marketing materials they may require.
I hope to do my second work placement with CYBF again in April. I wanted to take this opportunity to say thank you to Joelle Foster for making my three week internship with CYBF a valuable learning and networking experience.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Winnipeg Transit Article
Hello all, I hope you had a lovely holiday season. I wanted to make sure you were aware of the transit article that I worked on with a classmate of mine during my last semester at school. It was published in the Winnipeg Free Press over the New Year's weekend. I wanted to share it with you. Please pass it along to your followers. That would be greatly appreciated.
Kindly,
Anrea
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/the-life-of-a-transit-bus-driver-is-no-ride-in-the-park-136470333.html
Kindly,
Anrea
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/the-life-of-a-transit-bus-driver-is-no-ride-in-the-park-136470333.html
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