My name is Olivia (or Olive, whichever feels right) and I am looking for full-time employment in a nanny and/or household assistant/manager role. I hope to find work anywhere West of Boundary Road, and my house is near Main & 30th.
English is my first language, and I know some basic French. I've also dabbled in Italian. My interests include visual art, reading & writing poetry, fashion, and rowing, when I'm feeling up for it.
Some concepts that I am working on integrating into my childcare practice include being trauma-informed, anti-diet, valuing and supporting intersectionality, bodily autonomy/consensual care, and encouraging children's' ability to advocate for themselves.
With younger children I love going for walks as a calm way to get some air and spend time outdoors/in nature. I love going on outings when I can, such as to get ice cream, parks, the library, beaches, etc. Building attachment through shared experiences has been very useful in my time in childcare. In the house I enjoy crafts and reading stories, as well as the occasional dance party.
With preteens and teenagers, I find treating them as the adults they will soon become to be very beneficial. Many teens just want to feel respected, and I feel I am particularly skilled at fostering those relationships. I take great joy in being somebody who helps them to feel heard!
I grew up in a separated (and then blended) family, so I am very familiar with what that dynamic can look like, and am more than willing to work with a single parent or blended family.
I am fully vaccinated (boosted in January) and would like to work for a family who is vaccinated as well.
I will be using public transit to get to and from work, but have my Class 5 License and am comfortable driving children if you have a vehicle. I can provide a photocopy of my license as well as my drivers abstract.
Rate:
I would like to be making $25+/hour. That is however open to negotiation and depends on terms of the contract.
Experience:
I have been pretty consistently babysitting since I was 13, and I am now turning 23, so I would say I have 9 years of non-licensed, casual experience. My experience in licensed centres began in 2019. I estimated about 5 years of marketable/more serious experience - licensed or not. I have a younger brother who is 8 years my junior as well as younger cousins. I have been helping care for them since they were born - when I was basically a child myself.
For three years in high school I volunteered as an Instructors' Assistant at my dance studio, where I helped teach classes of 10 to children ages 4-12. I would assist in getting the children dressed and doing their hair before class, as well as communicating any issues with the parents. This was an amazing experience to have at such a young age. It was a major confidence booster for me in terms of getting my start in childcare & education.
In 2019 I held a position as a Program Leader at a large before/after school care program that operated out of multiple schools in the Kitsilano area. There I led my “pod” of 12 Kindergarteners through various activities ranging from arts & crafts to gross motor play.
The last two summers I have nannied a toddler roughly three days a week, and I still babysit occasionally for the family. I was responsible to meals, naps, and at one point had to navigate caring for a litter of puppies as well as the little boy.
After moving back to the Island I joined my elementary school on-call as an EA. working with kids anywhere from preschool-grade 7 and then was hired to do after-school care with Kindergarten-Grade 1. I also worked extensively in the Early Learning Centre, which is where I discovered my passion for the younger years. While in these positions I worked with multiple children who had developmental delays, learning disorders, ASD, ADHD, ODD, etc. This is an area of childcare where I definitely want to expand my knowledge. This was also a position where I often worked with middle schoolers, which I greatly enjoyed.
This spring I have been working with three different families in the Cowichan Valley. I work with four children - 9 months, 14 months, 19 months, and 4 years old. Two of the families I help out strictly out of their homes, and the other one is an after-school-pickup situation. We often go on outings around the community or for treats after school.
As we start talking more seriously about a position I will send you my official resume and three references - two of which are parents I currently work with, and one of which is my manager from the Early Learning Centre.
Future Educational Goals:
Options for Sexual Health Sex Educator Certification program:
I will be applying for the January 2023 intake.
I have wanted to work in sex ed since I was a teenager, and to be granted admission to this competitive and academically challenging program would be a dream come true. The course runs 1 weekend/month for about a year, leaving me time to continue to work with your family long term and foster a relationship with your child!
Eventually I also hope to complete my Early Learning (ECE) diploma, and am also considering doing UVic's Bachelor of Child and Youth Care online, so as to stay in Vancouver. For now, however, I am enjoying working and learning while directly in the field.
Past Education:
Vancouver Island University:
Completed up to Year 3 of the Bachelor of Education program at VIU. I realized that my passion is in childcare and early learning, rather than in a K-12 classroom setting. I also completed plenty Visual Arts courses.
University of British Columbia
Completed the first year program entitled: “Law and Society” (Social Justice, Writing, History, Anthropology, Sociology, etc)
Planned a major in Psychology and a minor in Gender, Race, Sexuality, and Social Justice.
I did not end up completing either of the above degrees, though I learned an unbelievable amount in regards to myself as well as my career - none of it has been irrelevant or gone unused!
Shawnigan Lake School - High School:
Participated in Model United Nations and rowing.
Performed in Shawnigan's production of the Wizard of Oz,
Leadership - "Big Sister" role in my boarding house, and co-coordinated the School's first LGBTQ Pride Week.
Other:
Class 5 Drivers' License
Community Care First Aid certification. I am trained in CPR, infant and child resuscitation, and know how to operate an AED. I will gladly complete a criminal record check as well as provide a drivers abstract, and provide proof of my First Aid Certification.
