What is an Outreach Worker?

My name is Erin McLaughlin and since April 2008, I have been on contract (on a month to month basis) with The Elizabeth Fry Society of Saint John NB Inc.  I am self-employed, and contract myself to the Society on a month to month basis, which is dependent on funding.  If there's no funding, there is no position for me. 

As an Outreach Worker, I have many tasks.  I assist with women and youth who drop into our office for various reasons (looking for information or assistance, needing hygiene items, needing someone to chat to, etc), I assist women who are currently incarcerated at the Saint John Regional Correctional Centre and Nova Institution for Women via the telephone, and I spend a great deal of time seeking funding.

On a daily basis, I assist women and youth who are incarcerated and who live in our community.  I provide them with information, assistance, referrals, someone to talk to, educational materials, put them in touch with other agencies/organizations in our city who can provide assistance for them, and provide them with personal hygiene items should they need them.  I have assisted women in obtaining information on their children (how they're doing, etc), finding information on rehabilitation centres in other provinces, getting them in touch with the Ombudsman or The College of Physcians and Surgeons, providing them with information in regards to future court appearances, or information on where they can get assistance once released into the community.

I also maintain the office, and can be found there Monday to Friday.  Where I'm self-employed, I do not keep regular office hours, but am there about 30 hours per week, and am available by email (efry@nb.aibn.com) and telephone at all times!  Most recently, I have included a package on our door for women to write their names and telephone numbers on, which they can slide under the door, if I'm not in the office when they drop in.  This way, even if I'm not in the office when they get there, I can return their call as soon as I'm back.  Typically, I am in  the office 4 days a week.

Some of the other things I'm involved in:
- The Rebels Committee 2009.  I was the Chair of this committee and did the organizing and planning of the event, which was great!  The 2010 Rebels Committee is well underway.  If you want to volunteer, please call our office at 506-635-8851 or shoot me an email at efry@nb.aibn.com.
- Cross Roads to Success.  This is the multi-week all-female program for teenage girls who are currently on probation.  I have facilitated this Program twice now, with great results.  This past session had a 100% success rate so congrats to the girls!
- Court Work Program.  For the past year, I have facilitated the Court Work Program.  I attend Provincial Court, when requested, to assist women who are appearing before a Judge.  I also do all the paper work for the Program, as well as meet with women who will be facing charges to assist them in preparing for what appearing in Court will entail.  I also created our training manual for this Program and have facilitated the training of our volunteers (as well as summer students).
- Anti-Shoplifting Program.  Currently, I am assisting in the Anti-Shoplifting Program.  Our volunteer, Wanda Cosman, goes into grade five classrooms in school districts 6 & 8, and delivers this Program to the students.  This Program is incredibly successful and has been facilitated by our Society for eight years!
- Summer Student Supervisor.  For the past two summers, I have supervised our Summer Students, provided to us by SEED.  It has been great to have the extra help around the office!
- Seeking funding.  I spend a lot of time writing proposals for funding.  The Society is in desperate need of sustainable funding!  We have been granted funds for many of our Programs, but are now in need of funding to keep the Society operational.

Some other things I've been involved in:
 Facilitated social programming, Mother/Child Read Aloud and mentorship programming at The Saint John Regional Correctional Centre to assist women in need.


 Supervisor of Fine Option Program in partnership with Department of Public Safety- Adult Probation. This included supervising adults on probation while they completed community service hours.

 Worked in partnership with Nova Institution and Canadian Families & Corrections Network in assisting women who are federally incarcerated with their pre-release plans and follow up once released in the community.

 Completed safeTalk Suicide Intervention training through Mental Health.


 Completed week long Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training.

 Completed week long Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Training for Facilitators (qualifications to train others).

 Attended two day conference on Mental Health, Housing and Homelessness in Ottawa as the Atlantic Elizabeth Fry Representative.

 Worked with local IT group to create and design the Society’s website and now have moved on to create this blog.

 Made a presentation to Government of New Brunswick Officials on Legal Aid reform. The information I provided was later used in their published report.


 Basic office work (word, excel, outlook, internet, fax, phone, filing, etc).

 Created the annual newsletter for 2006 & 2007.

So in a (very large) nutshell, that is what I do as an Outreach Worker!