As some of you may know, we said goodbye to four CYPT Backbone Team staff this month. The Backbone Team is now operating with 36% fewer team members and about 18% lower capacity. The reduction in CYPT Backbone Staff capacity will mean that the speed of some CYPT work will slow down. Read below for more details and how we are mitigating.
Thank you Monika, Haniya, Julnar, and Kian
Program Assistant, Monika Bodemer. Fondly known as the “Backbone of the Backbone Team,” she expertly managed everything from finances, to correspondence, to procurement, to event planning… and much more. We will miss Monika, but we wish her all the best as she starts a new job in Alberta!
Three Youth Connectors, Haniya Nazir, Julnar Aizouki, and Kian Mirzaei. The Youth Connectors are three youth hired on one-year contracts who work alongside us at the CYPT. They are advisors, planners, coordinators, and spokespeople at the CYPT. You may have read about their work and accomplishments in news articles or seen them at our events. This year’s group of Youth Connectors were extraordinary leaders and we will miss them!
Reduced Administrative Support
Please understand that without a dedicated Program Assistant, we may be slower than usual in responding to your messages.
Sevil Berenji is temporarily picking up most of the work that Monika was holding. This means that her typical project management support will reduce. We expect this to be the case for the next six months. Please connect with Sevil (SBerenji@regionofwaterloo.ca) as a first point of contact at the CYPT.
Reduced Youth Engagement Work
Our Youth Engagement Team is now a team of one: Joana Lincho, Youth Engagement in Systems Lead. We have structured the fall to be best suited to this capacity. This means that Sense Making with the 2023 Youth Impact Survey data and the creation of the next Data in Action report will be happening, but at a slower pace.
Questions?
We appreciate your understanding at this time. If you have any questions please reach out to Alison Pearson, Manager of the CYPT, at APearson@regionofwaterloo.ca.