Meet the Herd: Nikki
Meet one of the Zebra Centre’s Case Navigators, Nikki! She shares with us what she enjoys most about being a member of our Zebra Herd, what it’s like to be DWW Cajun’s handler and much more!
Q: Tell us about your role as Case Navigator.
Nikki: My role as a Case Navigator is to support children, youth, and families when they come to the centre for forensic interviewing. My job is to help create a space where children can feel safe and heard.
Q: What does a typical “day in the life” as Case Navigator look like?
Nikki: Every morning I attend our daily intake meeting with our multidisciplinary team to discuss families that require our support. We discuss their needs and how we can best support them if they do come in for an interview. The rest of my day is spent supporting families when they come in for their interviews, providing them updates on court proceedings, and providing resources. I am also the primary handler of one of our facility dogs named DWW Cajun. I spend a lot of time training him to ensure he is ready to comfort our kiddos.
Q: What do you love most about your role?
Nikki: There are many things I love about my role but the part I love most about my role is the opportunity to empower children. Coming to our centre is not an easy feat but the children are so brave and resilient. I love that I get to help make it a little bit easier to share their story. All the dog cuddles I get are a close second!
Q: What is your proudest moment at the Zebra Centre so far?
Answer: I am very proud of how much DWW Cajun has improved since I began working with him. He was a bit of a stubborn teenager when I first started training him but I have received so many comments that he is doing much better lately!
Q: What motivates you to show your stripes (your why)?
Nikki: Though it can be difficult working here, the children are what keep me going. No one should have to go through something like this alone and because of the Zebra Centre, they will never have to.
Q: Lastly, share a surprising or fun fact about you
Nikki: Before working at the Zebra Centre, I would have considered myself a cat person with a tolerance for dogs, but DWW Cajun has changed my whole perspective! It has been so much fun and so rewarding working with him that I just might have to get my own one day.