Meet the Herd: Lauren
Meet Lauren, one of the Zebra Centre’s incredible Child Advocate volunteers.
Lauren shares what her experience has been like as a member of the Zebra Herd for close to four years, what inspires her to continue showing her stripes, and more!
Q: Tell us about your role as a Child Advocate at the Zebra Centre.
Lauren: Over the course of my (almost) four years volunteering with the Zebra Centre, I have had the opportunity to work in various Child Advocacy roles. I spent the first two years of my time with Zebra as a Court Accompaniment Child Advocate where I supported children, youth, and families within the context of the courthouse. I then later transitioned to being a practicum student and adopted an in-centre Child Advocacy role where I would support with First Contacts and Care Calls. First Contacts are when children and youth attend the centre to complete their forensic interviews, and Care Calls involve check-ins, providing court updates, as well as connecting families to community resources. Now, I am also going to be venturing out into the community as part of the Community Engagement Team!
Q: What does a typical “day in the life” as a Child Advocate look like?
Lauren: As a Child Advocate – but more specifically as a Court Accompaniment Child Advocate where I have spent most of my time with Zebra – my day predominantly involves helping children, youth, and families feel as safe, supported, and comfortable as possible while at the courthouse. To help make the entire court process as seamless as possible for families, I meet families at the courthouse and walk alongside them every step of the way; I liaise between families and the Crown Prosecutors; and I work to safeguard feelings of comfort, safety, and support by taking families to our private child-friendly rooms within the courthouse. Additionally, while kiddos are testifying about their experiences of abuse, and depending on the child or youth’s preference, I either sit with them on the stand or generally within the courtroom. Other important aspects of my role includes doing everything possible to make sure that the child, youth, and family do not have to see the accused at the courthouse, as well as debriefing with families at the end of the day.
Q: What do you love most about your role?
Lauren: The aspect of my role that I love the most is being able to connect with the kiddos, being a source of support for them, and helping to mitigate feelings of helplessness and powerlessness by leaving space for children and youth to be in control whenever possible.
Q: What is your proudest moment at the Zebra Centre so far?
Lauren: Although it is certainly a disheartening experience, I would have to say that my proudest moment is a culmination of every single time I’ve had the privilege of supporting kiddos while they’re testifying. I am always astonished by the degree of strength, bravery, and resilience that every single kiddo exudeswithin the courtroom despite their feelings of unease. The children and youth that I support and advocate for have endured painfully disempowering experiences; to then witness them tell their story in a safe and supportive space is what makes me proud to be part of the Zebra Herd.
Q: What motivates you to show your stripes (your why)?
Lauren: What motivates me most is my profound belief in the power of advocacy, empowerment, and systems of safety and support. No one should ever have to navigate these kinds of experiences on their own, and I always aim to show kiddos and families that they aren’t alone and have an entire Zebra Herd of incredible humans who are here to support them.
Q: Lastly, share a surprising or fun fact about you.
Lauren: I am a self-confessed Swiftie and have loved Taylor Swift since the beginning. I still have her first several CD’s (hopefully some folks still know what those are) in the glovebox of my vehicle and listen to them on repeat.
Thank you for being such an outstanding member of the Zebra Herd, Lauren. It is kind-hearted volunteers like you who make our work possible!