Presenters: Jill Edgington Kirby, Program Manager, Centre for Refugee Resilience, CCIS and Sherri Shergill, MA, CCC, Clinical Supervisor for the Centre for Refugee Resilience
Date: May 18th, 2021
Description
Refugee claimants have unique mental health needs as they navigate the refugee protection system in Canada. The Centre for Refugee Resilience has adopted an approach that addresses their barriers, recognizes the trauma and crisis they are experiencing, and is responsive to cultural needs. The program staff offer therapeutic support and service coordination as they seek safety in Canada. Included in this recording is a Q+A session.
Presenter biographies
Jill Edgington Kirby has been part of the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society for the past 13 years, first as a program coordinator, and now as Program Manager of the Centre for Refugee Resilience. She has overseen the growth of that program from a small team to a thriving team of therapists, case workers, interpreters, and educators who support refugees in their healing process after trauma. She graduated with a B.A. in Behavioural Science in 2008 and found a particular interest in refugees and mental health. She became passionate about the struggles of refugee claimants while working with survivors of torture and has built the Centre for Refugee Resilience to include this part of the refugee population. She continues to find inspiration from refugee survivors who come to Canada every year and has enjoyed seeing the successes of past clients as they thrive in Canada.
Sherri Shergill is a mental health therapist with a strong understanding and background of working in clinical settings. Sherri has over 8 years experience working with culturally diverse populations, and a focus on improving service delivery through examination of systems change. She is currently the Clinical Supervisor for the Centre for Refugee Resilience for the past 2 years, and provides specialized trauma therapy to refugee and immigrant population in Calgary. Sherri holds an MA in Counselling Psychology (New York University), a BA in English, and a BA in Communications.
