Celebrating 30 Years of Janette
When Janette Jackman moved from England to Canada in 1996 and applied for a care aide position in Langley, BC, she had no idea it was the start of a 30-year career (and counting) with CONNECT Communities.
Sitting in her office in Langley on a sunny Wednesday in July, Janette reflects on the past three decades and imagines what the coming years will bring.
“In a nutshell, 30 years is a long time,” says Janette, her eyes shiny with emotion. “When I look back I think about the people, the connections I have made, and the privilege and opportunity to be part of something that has made a difference to so many people. For that I am incredibly grateful.”
Janette immigrated with her son and daughter; Lee and Maxine, then 9 and 11 and her then husband. She had previous home care experience and a psychology and social work diploma from the UK.
She saw an ad posted in the Langley Times for a care aide at Classic Care Homes and was interviewed by Susanne Sherwood in East House, the sole location at the time of what would become CONNECT.
Janette was hired as a care aide and worked a variety of shifts from days to nights to weekends and sleeping shifts. After learning the ropes over time, she was able to step up to a manager role and cover for a maternity leave. That eventually turned into a long-term manager role for her.
“You know, I hadn’t really thought about it this way, but at a recent CONNECT planning session John pointed out that it was the work we initially did in Langley that allowed us to get the contract to build Lake Country, which led to Hamilton, etc. That makes me proud to think I was part of what started it all and brought us to today.”
Janette has worn many hats at CONNECT over the years. Her current role as Leader of Organizational Strength has her supporting teams at every location, tapping into her long-standing relationships with funders and partners, guiding processes around licensing and so much more.
Reflecting on how CONNECT has evolved over the years, Janette marvels at the changes.
“When we were starting out, we had to do everything ourselves. As we’ve grown, so many talented people have joined and we have so much support and resource to do things differently.”
Janette says her career at CONNECT helps her redesign her own life and reflect on who she has become as a person.
She says her confidence has grown over time, along with her abilities in lots of different areas.
“It has taken me a long time to get there, but I discovered I have a voice and can use it to lean into my experience and influence. That’s a good feeling.”
As for the future of CONNECT, Janette sees nothing but potential to expand across the country and beyond.