What is your position with Ellipsis? 

I’m a shelter supervisor at Ellipsis.

How long have you worked here?

I’ve worked at Ellipsis for more than two years.

Have you had any other roles/jobs during your tenure with Ellipsis?

I served as a youth care worker for the first two years.

What drew you to work at Ellipsis? 

After going back to school and graduating, I was looking for a career related to my field of study that I was passionate about. I initially made a point of contact at a school career fair that raised my interest, which led to me applying at Ellipsis when a position was available. After completing an in-person interview, I ultimately knew this was the best fit for me as the organization’s values and beliefs aligned with what I was looking for in a career.

Can you recall a moment (during your career with Ellipsis) when you felt like you were in exactly the right place, doing exactly what you should be doing? What was that like?

I knew I was in the right place when I was adjusting to some of the learning curves of a new field, and my coworkers and other leadership supported and encouraged me to keep going and working hard. That raised my confidence level and improved my skills.

What are some of the more challenging aspects of this job? 

Having patience can be a challenge sometimes. Each day, this job requires you to be flexible, think critically and pay attention to detail to perform the job well.

What are some of the rewarding aspects of the job? 

Creating a consistent safe space for our clients is so rewarding. Some of the things that we take for granted, such as having something to eat or a place to sleep, make a big difference for others. Knowing that we are consistent in our work and taking pride in our values is great.

Why is it important to have residential programs in communities and qualified people working in them? 

These programs not only create a safe place for emergency and temporary living situations, but they are also a critical resource for learning skills and lessons that can be used in everyday life scenarios. Without this structure, some of our youth won’t learn these skills and don’t have as good of a chance at becoming successful community members.

What is a misconception people may have about mental health treatment? How do you dispel that? 

That something is inherently wrong with the person struggling, that they are different or weird. Everyone’s upbringing is unique, and we all need some kind of help at some point in our lives.

If there’s anything else you’d like to add about your role, please feel free to do so!

I enjoy working at Ellipsis very much!