For this community connections I unfortunately was not able to get any celebrities or well known people to answer my messages but I chose to interview my aunt because she is my biggest role model and the one person I know who is easily accessible and who has a similar career. She has worked many jobs that have to do with helping people but the main reason i chose to interview her for a particular reason as she is a special educational assistant. She has always had a passion for helping people who are any age. I look up to her not only as my aunt but as a mentor, she has worked as a counsellor toward teen moms as well as a special education assistant in vancouver.

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I have always been interested in something along the lines of working one on one with somebody ever since i volunteered in elementary school as well as middle school, i feel as if this is a great opportunity to learn a bit more about the career choice and the overall responsibilities.

 

                       

 

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I contacted my aunt through messages and through calls in order to get enough information, she really helped me understand about her job and what it takes to get there.

 

1. Why are you passionate about your job or role?

I have always loved helping children and I really enjoy seeing the changes in children through time.

            2.What obstacles have you faced to get where you are today ?

When I was first starting off I was very young and lived on my own so paying for my education was a challenge. I did not know the kind of support that was available

             3.What advice would you pass on to someone interested in what you are doing?

I would volunteer with children to see if it is what they would enjoy because its so important that you are going to enjoy what you do.

            4. Are you ok with further communication from other riverside students?

She does not mind to be contacted, her school email is abeaton@vsb.bc.ca

 

           5.What advice do you have for someone new to the industry?

It is great to use the people around you to learn new skills. There is a lot of knowledge you gain from doing the job so always ask for help and support. Nobody who starts off knows everything, take as many workshops as you can.

             6.What skills have you found vital to your job?

The skills I find vital are knowing how to work in challenging situations, learning how to read non verbal communication…this one is tough… I have so much to say

 

             7.Was there any career setback that you faced?

There was no major career setback that she had but she says always be prepared for one because anything can happen.

 

This Interview has opened up so many new opportunities, I realize that the industry for helping special needs kids is so big and that i can really choose multiple paths and multiple age groups. To further develop my knowledge i will continue to take workshops as my aunt suggested and i will make sure to continue my research.

Aftermath:

I am very glad I got this opportunity to just learn a bit more than i had already known on working with special needs children, I always think it is amazing how much you can learn in just a short amount of time. I really enjoyed this project overall and i am so glad that I did this project to my fullest in order to take away some very good points, this assignment will have big takeaways for me in the future.

   

Citings: IMAGES

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