Susan Noakes reflects on a career of compassion, collaboration and community at the Law Centre

Q&A

You've been a student, instructor and staff member at UVic. What has that journey looked like for you?

I did three degrees at UVic, so I'm definitely an alumna. When I stepped onto the campus in September 1979 feeling quite intimidated, I certainly didn’t think that my last step in my educational and professional journey would also be with UVic. It’s been an interesting journey as I was in several roles: student, educator, social worker but never forgot what it was like to be a student. UVic has grown over the years, but it still feels like the same familiar campus that I walked onto in 1979.

How did you get involved with The Law Centre?

I completed my fourth-year social work practicum for my BSW at The Law Centre in 1990.  After I finished my degree, I worked for four years at Together Against Poverty Society (TAPS), where I did a lot of legal advocacy such as representation at tenancy, welfare and unemployment insurance hearings.  During my employment at TAPS, I stayed connected with The Law Centre.  I joined The Law Centre Association board as a community member. I then returned to The Law Centre on a contract to represent people at tenancy and welfare hearings and mental health review panels.

After that contract ended in 1997, I returned to UVic to complete my Master of Social Work. After several years working with the Ministry of Children and Family Development and Community Living BC doing guardianship work, an opportunity in 2008 came up to apply for the social work position at the Law Centre.

Looking back, that job interview was such a positive experience, and everything just seemed to come together. My experience as a student, working in the non-profit sector, working for government and my earlier connections with the Law Centre all tied together.  So, I was thrilled to be hired for the position.

Looking back to that time in 2008 when you first joined The Law Centre as Staff Social Worker, what did you imagine the role would be, and how did it evolve over the years?

The role had to evolve over the years to meet the needs of the clients, students and the community.  My social work practice evolved as well. The needs in our community changed, legal aid policy changed, students coming from different age cohorts were always changing. So, I've always tried to be reflective and ask myself, "How can I improve? How can I change?  What else can I do to help assist folks?" I never wanted to stay stuck and think, "This is the way it's always going to be."  I was always open to learning which also kept the role challenging as well as exciting.

One of the unique aspects of The Law Centre is bringing social work and law together. Why has that been so important?

What I've always stressed with law students is the need to understand the context in which the client’s problem exists.

That's really what having a social worker in the office has always been about. It’s about "holistic lawyering." It was about bringing two professions together and asking, "How can we work together? How can we help the person in front of us?"

For example, a client might present with a tenancy problem which requires legal representation which a law student might provide. But the client also might need short-term counselling or help accessing services or welfare benefits. I might provide that help.

What do you hope students take away from working with you?

I hope they will always look at the person sitting in front of them as more than a legal issue.

I always joked with the students when they came into the Law Centre. I would say, "You folks are still trying to figure out what's the legal piece here, and I'm asking you to look at the broader picture of the individual." That comes with time and experience, but I hope they always hold onto that piece as they move forward in their careers.

I also hope that they learned about boundaries and how to take care of themselves. A lot of the folks who come into the office have experienced trauma. Hearing those stories every day, it's important to understand how to take care of yourself during that process.

I would always tell my social work joke: "How many social workers does it take to change a light bulb?  One—but only if the light bulb really wants to be changed." I wanted to remind students that everyone has their own life story. People aren't always going to move forward at the pace you'd like them to.  

What have you learned from working alongside lawyers throughout your career?

Lawyers and social workers share many of the same values around social justice, fairness and equity. How each profession addresses those issues may differ, but bringing those two professions together to address a client’s problems can be very effective for the client. It can also be satisfying for the lawyer, perhaps knowing that they may have made a difference for their client.

I've learned a lot about how lawyers practice. I've learned different perspectives that have strengthened my own social work practice. I trust that the law students have incorporated some of the social work perspectives that I've tried to share with them. Overall, I think bringing those professions together works for the client, and that's the important part.

Looking back, what has been the most rewarding part of your career at The Law Centre?

There have been many aspects to my overall career that have been rewarding. With The Law Centre, I found watching a student grow in their practice and gaining confidence particularly rewarding. Every student's life story is different. Knowing perhaps that moving forward a student will look at their client holistically has been very fulfilling.   

The same is true for the people we serve. Whether at The Law Centre or all through my career, being able to be part of someone’s journey, providing the needed support, listening, helping someone access benefits or services, or helping the person through a difficult time, has also been gratifying.  Being allowed to be part of those journeys is something I'll always appreciate.