Gurpreet Kalsi
At present, I am working as Team Leader/ Supervisor at Dakota Ojibway Child and Family Services, handling a big team of CFS and Family enhancement workers. I am a Registered Social Worker (RSW) with the Manitoba College of Social Workers (MCSW). I have a good combination of academics and training that has given me extensive education in the areas of project management, social services, public policy, and coordination of non-profit management tasks on a provincial level. I am feeling privileged to have experience working with a diverse population that includes children, youths, adults, the person with special needs & mental health issues, Indigenous and immigrants.
In India, I launched my career as a Communication Facilitator, in the Revised National TB Control Program, directing IEC activities for spreading awareness about TB (Tuberculosis), Health issues, Sanitation, Gender Equality, RCH, and Child protection. After that, as an Additional Program Officer, I learned to lead a block-level new project, including the responsibilities of supervising a team of 50+ members, submitting grant proposals to the Ministry of Rural Development, making a 5-year perspective plan, handling financial management, building a relationship with various collaterals, bureaucracy, and government institutions. As president of Ganga Sagar NGO, I learned how to coordinate with the Board of Directors, raise funds, write grants, and arrange advocacy campaigns. I additionally learned how to cultivate and maintain new relationships with government entities and other political organizations.
When I arrived in this land of opportunity, Canada, in May 2016, all my back-home privileges disappeared instantly. I had re-launched my career from a few survival jobs, including the car wash, pizza delivery, and labor work in factories.
My extensive work experience includes advocacy, child and family services, child protection, human rights, government relations, planning & monitoring, budgeting, grant writing, project management & coordination, community development, employment, youth welfare, administration, counseling, and social work. My experience working with culturally diverse populations and my passion, including my genuine interest in serving humanity, made me confident that my skills would make me an excellent addition to your organization.
As a Child and Family service worker (CFS) and Family Enhancement worker in DOCFS, I am continuously learning to provide ongoing support, advocacy, and assistance to help empower families, identify resources for clients, and assist them in accessing them. I have sharpened my active listening and analytical skills by completing a needs assessment and family visits. I also became familiar with program facilitation through planning, developing, and facilitating weekly programs and community events. In addition, through working in the Youth Resource Centre at Macdonald Youth Services, I have learned to cooperate with team members, offer recommendations and make decisions that accord with the Child and Family Service Act. I have also gained direct experience providing one-on-one psychosocial support to at-risk youth with mental health issues. Beyond this, while working at ANCR, I have developed crisis intervention skills by de-escalating emergencies, implementing suicide risk assessment, and managing aggressive behaviors. While working with these organizations, I learned the impacts of colonialism, Indian Residential Schools, intergenerational trauma, and systemic racism on First Nation education and children.
While working with Family Dynamics and doing a volunteer project (Sense of Belongings) with the Immigrant Centre, I had an opportunity to understand the basic and deeper needs of immigrants and refugees and to provide advocacy for them. I also learned to communicate in diverse languages through interpreters. I also had the opportunity to gain an understanding of iCare, the federal funding system, and resources in the settlement sector.