Zainab is in her final year of a post-degree Social Work program at York University. As a researcher at Northstar, she supports youth in the Durham Region within a therapeutic alternative classroom setting, working collaboratively alongside an interprofessional team of educators and Child and Youth Workers. In this role, Zainab contributes to the coordination of individualized support plans, provides one-on-one emotional and behavioural support to assist with self-regulation, and helps facilitate students’ safe and successful transitions back into mainstream educational environments.

Zainab’s professional interests reflect the breadth of the social work field, and she continues to explore multiple career pathways. She is committed to pursuing a Master of Social Work to further strengthen her ability to support children, youth, and families within clinical and child welfare settings. In the longer term, she aspires to work at a systemic level to influence policy development and implementation that better supports marginalized communities.