The Government of Yukon launched the Sexualized Assault Response Team (SART) initiative in 2020. Victims of sexualized assault now have more services available thanks to this initiative, which offers clients wrap-around emotional, medical and legal support. Key components of SART include a 24-hour, confidential, toll-free, Yukon-wide support line for all victims of sexualized assault; victim support workers available for after-hours support on weekends; and a roster of on-call physicians specially trained to support victims of sexualized assault.
Today we meet Jennifer who works as coordinator with SART in Whitehorse.
Could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your role?
My name is Jennifer and I'm a registered nurse here in the Yukon. Essentially, I oversee the medical forensic side of the Sexualized Assault Response Team program that we offer here in the territory.
What makes for a good day at work?
I think what makes for a good day at work is being able to make a difference. Whether that's, you know, speaking with one of our victims and knowing that we've got them the support that they need, or connecting with one of our physicians and them feeling supported.
Right now, we’re expanding our program. Being able to offer more services, make an impact and even just create more awareness of our program is, I think, a huge piece. When I hear people say, ‘oh, yeah, I know what SART is,’ that makes me happy.
Just knowing that we're getting our program out there.
How did people make you feel welcome when you started?
I think in the Yukon we're very appreciative of all of the help that we get especially in health care. I find that when we get new nurses up here, people are very excited. Also, they let them know about all of the opportunities.
When new people come up we do a lot of different things like walks and things like that at work. I think it helps in getting them connected! Because Yukon is such a small community, I feel it doesn't take long to meet a lot of people and for people to establish relationships which is nice. You really do get to know people very quickly.
Professionally, we also get opportunities up here to collaborate and make an impact in a way we might not get elsewhere.
With a lot of the work we've been doing with SART right now, for example, we've been really being able to make an impact. There's such a wealth of opportunities up here that I feel like you wouldn't have elsewhere. And in the Yukon you really have a chance to work to the full scope of your practice.
How do you interact with other agencies and professionals? Can you tell us about that?
I feel like here in the Yukon, we really get the chance to use things that we wouldn't elsewhere. Even things like policy work: Here we have an opportunity to have input into the policies that we use, or sometimes even help write the policies that we're implementing. Whereas elsewhere we wouldn't have that opportunity.
I feel like here, you have an opportunity to do a lot of collaboration that you might not elsewhere. Down south, you might just work as a nurse with nurses. And that's it. Up here, you're very often collaborating with social workers or physiotherapists and other people in the communities which is really nice.
I feel like coming here you have a wealth of opportunities that you don't have elsewhere.
I feel your voice will be heard.