The Whitehorse Public Library is a hub in the community. It's a place for story time, it provides meeting space for non-profits and citizen groups and hosts activities, it hosts events such as author talks, tabletop roleplaying games for youth and more. You'll also find a friendly point-of-contact to available help.
Deserine is an outreach worker with Yukon Health and Social Services. She works out of the library, making it a friendly point of contact for anyone who might need referral to supports. Let's meet Deserine and learn more about her role with the Government of Yukon.
What do you do at the library?
I'm the library outreach worker. On a typical day, my tasks include connecting with library patrons and helping them to identify correct support services based on their needs. I refer patrons to Community Outreach Services, if they are accepted into the program, they receive one-on-one support from an assigned outreach worker and a social worker. This program is client-led, so clients establish goals with their support workers.
The library is a place where everyone feels welcome. It represents a safe space for all. Some of the patrons who utilize the services are precariously housed; others might not have internet access at home, so they come here mainly to use the internet, check their emails, study, do job searches, complete immigration documents or just to unwind.
What would you say is unique about working in Whitehorse?
Whitehorse is a very unique city with rich cultural activities. It is not too busy like a big city but still gives a city vibe. I find that people here are friendly, treat each other like family and are very helpful to one another. The library is located in the heart of the city and is next to the Millennium Trail and the beautiful Yukon River.
If you’re an outdoors person, the Yukon is an open door to nature. If you love biking, hiking, camping, canoeing, skiing or whatever your activity the Yukon is the place, especially in the summer. It is a great place to live.
What makes for a good day at work?
For me, a good day is engaging with patrons on a one-on-one basis. Sometimes that means offering supportive listening, assisting people with finding relevant information to navigate certain services, issuing bus tickets, or just offering a snack. Working in social services is about serving others. You definitely have to be a people person in order to do this job. Having people at the centre of my workday is what really matters and assisting them to achieve their best in spite of whatever challenges they might be facing makes for a very satisfying career.
