The apprenticeship of
Christine Bacalso

By Salley Jade Powis | Photography by Sean Dennie

A U of C student tells of her experiences as an intern at the Calgary Drop-In Centre, and her boss weighs in how the centre benefits.

Having a degree-related work term gives a student invaluable hands-on experience. And companies who hire students benefit from having bright, enthusiastic employees on their payroll. Cristina Bacalso is one of those bright young minds wanting to complement her education with practical work experience, and she found an internship with the Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre. U posed a list of questions to her and her supervisor, Bruno Gagne, to find out first-hand if the program is a win-win relationship.

How does U of C’s internship program benefit you as a student?

Cristina Bacalso: It incorporates academic experience with practical experience, which is something you just can’t get in the classroom. After all, when you’re working towards a liberal arts [in political science] degree, you aren’t getting the hard skills for a specialized workplace like engineering students receive. This experience allows me to apply the soft skills I’ve developed, which will make me more competitive and marketable when I graduate, and prepare me more fully for the workplace.

As an employer?

Bruno Gagne: The program gives us a pool of students who bring their own approach to doing things around the centre. We can always use fresh ideas around here.

If you could use one word to describe this experience, what would it be?

CB: Empowering! It’s helped me realize my abilities, because I am put in real life situations. It’s a good feeling to know that you can handle yourself in the workplace.

BG: Fresh. This way we get fresh batches of students in every few months who give a different look and feel to the Drop-In Centre.

Could you describe your typical daily work routine at the centre?

CB: It’s very atypical! I oversee the Career Training Initiative (CTI) program at the centre, which is a pilot project that provides low-income people with industry certifications, computer training, and life skills training. It’s kind of like my internship, in that it gives them a competitive edge when they are attempting to enter the workforce. So my main role is as a supervisor over a couple of people to ensure the program runs smoothly. But, I also teach classes, facilitate workshops, and work on reports to be submitted to the federal government, which is funding this pilot project.

BG: My role with Cristina and her colleagues is to guide the decisions they make. I’m the person who gives them a good nudge once in a while if they need it. But Cristina knows what she’s doing, so that isn’t needed too often.

What has been the best experience for you at the centre?

CB: Interacting with the clients at the Drop-In Centre. By working with the homeless population, I’ve realized everyone has a story and that you learn more about yourself by learning where others came from.

BG: We’re here to help people, and sometimes we find out first hand that we really have. I went for breakfast one morning and ran into a CTI grad who told me he’d found a job and was doing really well. It’s nice to know we’re making a difference.

Was there anything especially challenging that you had to overcome during the internship program?

CB: I’ve never had a supervisory role like this before, so the first challenge for me was to figure out our group dynamics and determine how we could all work as a team to reach the common goal of making the CTI pilot project a success. Our open communication with one another has been crucial to achieving it.

BG: The biggest challenge is when we have to transition from one group of internship students to the next. We try to have a fluent transfer of information that has been acquired by the departing group during their time here. But this has to happen within one week, which isn’t easy! Another challenge—one that can’t be overcome—is that the common bond among the staff, students, and clients cannot be passed on. Sometimes this bond can be hard to form, but Cristina and her group had no trouble with it at all.

What do you learn from the clients at the centre?

CB: I’ve learned I’m much more like the homeless clients here than I ever could have imagined. The people living here are just trying to live their lives like everyone else. We all have shortcomings, and it’s only by virtue of circumstance that I’m not in the same situation as them.

BG: I hear tonnes of stories from people here about what they’ve been through, and it constantly reminds me of how easy I’ve got it.

What have you learned from your mentor?

CB: Most of all, I’ve learned how to be a good supervisor. Bruno has an umbrella role overseeing a lot of people at the centre. Every day I see how important it is for him to be reliable to those who answer to him.

From your intern?

BG: Because of the confidence I have in Cristina, I’ve learned that I don’t always have to have my fingers too deep into the projects others are doing here. If everything’s going well, there’s no need for me to step in.

Where do you see yourself ten years from now?

CB: As a result of my experiences during this internship I now know being involved in the non-profit sector will play a major role in my life, whether it’s as a career or pastime. My focus will be on helping to improve the quality of life for the underprivileged on a local or international scale.

Where do you see Cristina ten years from now?

BG: I think Cristina is going to be a great success no matter what she does, but I could see her in a management role. She has the communication with her co-workers that’s necessary for a team to reach a common goal. Being a good manager is a lot like being a good painter; either you have the skills or you don’t, and Cristina has them.

U

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