Shannon Bonnar

As a Social Service Worker (SSW), individuals are required to build relationships, trust, and rapport with their clients, while ensuring to collaborate and create along with the client a plan that will meet their individual needs, and provide them with the support and resources needed to ensure they have all the opportunities for success. They also must maintain professionalism, community awareness, and be able to work within a team as well as individually. Shannon is one of these individuals with an enthusiastic and genuinely friendly attitude; Shannon radiates a sincere passion for helping individuals and families within her community. Shannon has been actively involved within the Canadian Cadet program for over 20 years as Shannon joined the cadet program at the age of 12. Currently as an Officer, Shannon is responsible for the training and mentoring of youth between the ages for 12 and 18. Shannon has been accountable to prepare them to interact comfortably within the community, interact positively with others, exercise sound judgment, accept personal responsibility for actions and choices, deal with interpersonal conflict, and direct them to available resources when needed. She takes great honour with her involvement with the Canadian Cadet Organization, and foresees this as an opportunity to incorporate contemporary professional practices from the fields of education and youth development, to shift focus to Alternate Dispute Resolution philosophy, and to reinforce positive behaviour.During Shannon's Military career she has undergone formal training in leadership, management, instructional techniques, conflict resolution, harassment prevention, and communication which she applies to all aspect of her life and believes it is one of the reasons for her success in life. The 4 years after Shannon received her severance, she worked for the CF-Reserves on contract while she contemplated her future career ambitions and goals. Shannon soon realized that she wanted to help struggling individuals & families in need of some form of assistance, as such decided to return to school to become a SSW. Shannon hopes to work with delinquent youth, and is open to other possibilities to focus her efforts on. Shannon is very optimistic about this new career, and is eager to complete her education and gain the required skills, knowledge, and experience so that she can make a difference within her community and the people living within it.