Archive | 2013

Catrina is a service coordinator at the Southgate Co-op, located in Southgate Michigan.  She has worked as a service coordinator since March 2013. Catrina obtained an Applied Science degree from Wayne County Community College, after graduating she went to Mary Grove College and received a bachelor’s degree in Social Work. In the near future, Catrina will pursue a Master’s in Social Work at Wayne State University.  Catrina has also received a certificate as a certified benefits planner from Cornell University, and a certificate for customized employment from Goodwill Industries.

Before working as a service coordinator, Catrina worked for the United Cerebral Palsy Detroit for 12 years as an Advocate/ Training Coordinator. She started as an Advocate working in crisis intervention, information/ referral, assisted disabled individuals with benefits planning, and understanding their benefits. After working as an advocate, she became a Training Coordinator, in this position she developed training materials and trained parents and professionals. Helping individuals at this job encouraged Catrina to become a social worker. At this job she gained skills in resolving conflict, time/ stress management, communication, and effective advocacy.

In Catrina’s free time, she enjoys dancing, playing board games, listening to jazz, reading, swimming, and traveling to warm weather states.  She also enjoys helping the community and advocating for the rights of all people. Catrina has worked in the community as a community representative, advocate, and has set on several committees such as: St. Vincent DePaul, Detroit Parent Network, Wayne Westland Educational Committee and Oakland Interagency Coordinating Council. She is currently working part-time as a home help provider, which she has done for the last 9 years, and she serves as a companion to seniors.

Catrina is a service coordinator because she enjoys working with the aging population, and she was inspired by her past intern supervisors, Cheryl Bukoff and Wylene Jones.  These women encouraged and motivated her while she was an intern.  They provided her with a number of resources, which have helped her as a service coordinator. These women have impacted her career because they taught her lifelong skills. The specific skills Catrina learned while being their intern: the importance of writing effectively, analytical/ critical thinking, and managing multiple priorities. Catrina appreciates them because even though she is no longer an intern they are only a phone call away.

Catrina enjoys working at the Southgate Co-op, and she has accomplished a lot in her months here. She has assisted  members with applying for state benefits, provided case management services, scheduled educational presentations, and  monitored/ assessed  member’s needs. Catrina enjoy working with the members of Southgate Co-op because they are wise, full of inspiration, humorous, and appreciative.

“To thine own self be true, and it must follow as the night day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”  This is Faith Junor- Hughes’ favorite quote from the famous play write Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare. Faith understands that you must first be true to yourself before you can be true to anyone else, which is important to understand and know as a social worker. Faith is one of the full time service coordinators at the Southgate Co-Op located in Southgate Michigan.  She has been working as a Hannan Service Coordinator since March 2013.

Faith is originally from Jamaica, she migrated to the United States permanently in 1993 because she wanted to give her daughter all the opportunities not afforded in Jamaica. Faith is a single parent and has one daughter. Once her daughter finished high school, Faith decided to further her education. She received her Associates degree in Applied Science at Oakland Community College. After graduation Faith received the Presidential Scholarship and full tuition scholarship to Marygrove College based on her academic performance at Oakland Community College.  Faith was lucky enough to accompany her daughter at Marygrove cCollege, while her daughter was attaining her Master’s in Social Justice; Faith was working toward her Bachelors of Arts in Social Work. Faith has finished her BSW, and now attends Wayne State University for a Master’s in Social Work.

Faith is a Limited License Bachelor of Social Worker, and has a certificate in gerontology, Gestalt Therapy, and counseling. She also has counseling experience with domestic violence and anger management. Her main focus is gerontology; she feels it more fulfilling to put a smile on an elder’s face when they were crying once before.

Faith believes you can be age 100 years with a degree or age 100 years without a degree, and she chooses to be age 100 years with a degree. She feels it is never too late to return to school and she always encourages people to go back to school if they are able.

During Faith’s free time she enjoys reading, watching movies, trying new foods from different countries, traveling, and playing games. Her favorite games are scrabble, jeopardy, and dominos. Faith’s favorite book genre is inspirational books, specifically anything written by Iyanla Vanzant. Her favorite movie is Cry Freedom.

Faith has always enjoyed helping people, every since she was a little girl her parents raised her to give back. She has continued this teaching in everything that she does. Faith enjoys her job as a service coordinator because she is able to give back to her residents by linking them with services and helping them maintain their independence as they age.