Justice worker shares big dreams for future
Kimmirut resident loves her home
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Monday, July 11, 2016
KIMMIRUT/LAKE HARBOUR
She's busy, has big dreams and loves her home in Kimmirut.
Monica Gardner came to Kimmirut in 2007 and now works as a community justice outreach worker. She calls the hamlet her home and is raising a two-year-old son there. - photo courtesy of Monica Gardner |
Community justice outreach worker Monica Gardner grew up in Iqaluit but moved to Kimmirut, her mother's hometown, in 2007. She graduated from Qaqqalik School in the hamlet and has been there ever since.
In 2012, Gardner applied for a community justice outreach worker position and has been working with the Department of Justice.
"It is a pleasure to have this important role as a CJOW for this community," said Gardner.
But it comes with a lot of responsibilities.
Gardner has to know the appropriate legislation - from the Family Abuse Intervention Act to emergency protection orders to community intervention orders - and make sure those services are being provided.
Another big role for her is crime prevention.
She supports the development of crime-prevention programs for youth.
To that end, she assists with culturally relevant programming, such as on-the-land trips, young women's meetings and identifying the root causes of crime.
Proposal writing is a big part of her job. Gardner successfully used proposal writing to facilitate a kamik-making program earlier this year.
"I am happy to state that I have been approved once again for a grant from the Department of Culture and Heritage for the upcoming fiscal year," she said. "I will be busy with that and an on-the-land program that I have also been granted so far."
Her role also involves outreach work, such as assisting victims to access local and territorial resources and supporting community members to access Department of Justice-related information and services.
She collaborates with many other organizations, including recreation departments and Inuit groups.
Gardner said she gets a lot of support from the Uqqaujjigiaqtiit justice committee, which is made up of knowledgeable unilingual elders.
"I work with the committee when referrals come to the committee," said Gardner. "They also help with the crime-prevention activities."
All that and she's also raising a two-year-old son.
Gardner has some big dreams but no plans to change her life too much right now.
"I like where I am at right now," she said.
"Perhaps someday I could work my way up to become a community justice specialist. Never know, I could someday become the director of justice. But right now, I am enjoying my job in Kimmirut and spending my time here with my family. Kimmirut is home."
