Cassey French is passionate about social advocacy.<\/p>\n
The recent Hispanic and Latin American Studies graduate is turning her desire to help others into both summer employment and a full-time career.<\/p>\n
French spent the summer of 2016 taking Brock\u2019s SPAN 3F80 Im\/migrant and Community Outreach Internship course, which promotes community engagement as a medium for linguistic fluency and cultural understanding through experiential placements with various local organizations.<\/p>\n
However, unlike many of the course\u2019s other students, who throughout the years have volunteered as translators at organizations such as\u00a0Quest Community Health Services and the Agricultural Workers Alliance, French pursued a placement at another local organization that is making a difference \u2014 the YWCA. There, she assisted guests with any inquiries they had while also reporting to the advocates who provided support and assistance to women in need of shelter.<\/p>\n
Though French was not able to practically use the Spanish techniques she had learned about, she was able to use the theory to gain a greater understanding of the female clients and their families that she was working alongside.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe can learn languages in class, but until you use them, you won\u2019t gain fluency. It\u2019s the same with social advocacy,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s absolutely necessary to get out there and gain the experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
The expanded perspective French was able to gain from working at a women\u2019s outreach organization, combined with the research she conducted on migrant workers in the course, resulted in a final research project that focused on female migrant workers. Those women, French said, face a \u201cdouble dose\u201d of disadvantage when working in Canada.<\/p>\n
The lessons she learned on her placement were not solely academic.<\/p>\n
\u201cI gained a lot of real-world skills, while also learning a lot about injustice in our community,\u201d French said. \u201cIt made me more focused on social justice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Brock is renowned for its focus on experiential education, which includes various placement opportunities with not-for-profit organizations such as the YWCA.<\/p>\n
The advantages of such opportunities were not lost on French.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely made me more employable and prepared me for my career while also helping me to grow as a professional,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Though she completed the 3F80 course one year ago, French\u2019s ongoing commitment to her community has led her back to Brock this summer to serve as the research assistant for this year\u2019s course. In this capacity, she is currently working on a research project about migrant workers for professors Irene Blayer and Cristina Santos.<\/p>\n
French said the professors\u00a0demonstrate their passion for migrant worker advocacy through\u00a0\u201ctireless efforts to conduct a course that inspires social consciousness as well as social activism.<\/p>\n
“They really care about making a difference in the community and providing students with diverse learning opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n
The course has shown French that she can make a difference and has led her to explore how she can continue to aid the less fortunate as she heads to law school at the University of New Brunswick this fall.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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