Blog

Hello, my name is Trennah Murray, my position with the Lakeland Centre is post diagnostic outreach coordinator at the St. Paul location. The goal of my role is to build services and support around children who have been deferred or Diagnosed with FASD. On a smaller scale I also support adults and assist them with building bridges with their communities.

I started my journey with the Centre one year ago and transitioned my role from 1-1 complex needs coordinator into my current role. I formally began my career in disabilities eight years ago as a community disability support worker for seniors with developmental disabilities. I then worked as an employment coach for adults with developmental disabilities for six years, while also facilitating an educational day program for adults with brain injuries and severe mental health conditions.

I grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and am proud to belong to my Metis culture. I moved to Alberta when I was fifteen years old and this is where my truest story began. I worked tirelessly to support myself and maintain my education. I received an abundance of support within the St. Paul community- teachers, principles and even the Super Intendent saw my potential and strength and guided me to success, often teaching me into the evening and weekends so that my day time employment was not affected.

The level of support that the community gave me, made a difference in my pathways of life. The strong impact a community had on me shaped my goal of wanting to serve this community and hopefully have the same impact on others. The raw and lived experiences that I have, help me connect and develop meaningful relationships with people I support.

Informally my journey into the world of human services began in 2015 when I became a kinship foster placement for children in my family. Although this has been a challenging journey with numerous ups and downs, I focus on healing and connecting through our culture and offering the kiddos in my care a safe, loving, and inclusive environment.

 Working with the Lakeland Centre aligns with my personal goals of being a community support and my future goal of opening my home as a placement for teenagers in need.