Student Spotlight: Oakley Foers
May 4, 2026
My name is Oakley Foers and I am about to complete Canadore College’s Social Service
Worker program. I was drawn to this program because of my personal experiences with mental
health and my long-standing interest in helping others. Throughout my adolescent years, I was
supported by mental health professionals. While some were helpful, some were not. This made
me realize what genuine and meaningful support looks like. I also often found myself supporting
others with their mental health, which I found very fulfilling. Together, these factors made me
realize that I would make a passionate Social Service Worker and that I'd find purpose in this
field.
During my time in the program, I have developed strengths and skills, particularly in
crisis intervention. This includes risk assessment, de-escalation techniques, safety planning and
more. This has been especially valuable during my placement at Hands’ Lotus Youth Centre,
where my role closely resembles that of a Child and Youth Worker. My responsibilities include
therapeutic relationship building, observing and leading therapeutic conversations, participating
in team meetings, teaching DBT skills, leading group activities, and responding to crises.
Additionally, placement has strengthened my understanding of multidisciplinary teamwork in
supporting youth. Overall, I’m feeling more enthusiastic for my future career.
I’m happy to share that my placement has led to a job offer. I will be working as a Relief
Child and Youth Worker over the summer and continuing in this role while completing my
Bachelor of Social Work at Nipissing University. I am also considering joining a Master of
Social Work program in the future. My advice to future Social Service Worker students is to
expect to not feel fully ready when you graduate, and that is normal. If you engage fully in your
courses, the strong fundamentals will stick with you and you’ll settle into your work position
gradually. Something I felt nervous to experience in the field was working with a client who
didn’t want to engage or responded with “I don't know” continuously. I experienced this during
placement and I’m proud of how I used key fundamentals of interviewing. Open-ended
questioning, empathy and effective use of silence were incredibly useful. One word to describe
my journey through Canadore’s Social Service Worker program is enriching because I have
experienced meaningful personal growth and developed a deep connection to this purposeful and
rewarding career