Nik Potapenko

After working office jobs and feeling unfulfilled, I moved into the direct support field about four years ago. The pandemic made me realize I wanted to do more rewarding work. I find that my role is very therapeutic and it’s something that holds you inside. Seeing my clients progress and achieve goals like independent living, driving a car or getting a new job they wanted is what really pushes me to continue.
 
I’m proud to represent the Yukon and share our problems and successes as a member of CCCE’s Direct Support Professionals (DSP) Fellowship. DSPs should be recognized for the important role we play in our communities.
 
There are some significant issues with the sector in Canada. Care providers are overworked, underpaid, and constantly struggle with being able to provide care for our clients. In the Yukon, a lot of times we are stretched so thin that if one support worker can’t make their shift, we have to cancel appointments for care recipients. It is very, very challenging because you really want them to succeed, but sometimes you physically can’t be present because you have to cover somewhere else and it’s out of your hands.
 
There needs to be more support to build a work culture and structure where DSPs can be confident in their tomorrow. Everyone would like a decent wage to pay for their housing and basic needs.
 
If we are serious about inclusion, it means that people who help make this inclusion happen must be included. There must be dignity in this profession and respect for what we do. There needs to be job security and a living wage, so that care providers do not have rely on the food bank and survive from paycheck to paycheck. That’s why the DSP Fellowship is very important, is to voice these concerns, to share our struggles, and hope that we can make meaningful change together through our advocacy.