“Trust your heart, take every opportunity that crosses your path and be someone who makes you happy and that you need right now.” These wise words come from Destiny Thom-Gargan who was born in Edmonton, and raised in Fort Providence all her life. Working as the case aid worker for the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services, she loves every aspect of what she does every day. Not tied to her desk and free to help her community, the youth and the children, she enjoys what she does. Prior to this role, she worked as the Healthy Children’s Coordinator at the friendship centre, planning, creating and organizing fun activities for families with small children.

Reflecting on how she got to where she is professionally, Thom-Gargan shares how caring for children drives her work. Living in a small community with limited opportunities, she’s taken whatever chances have come her way. She also wants to make her grandparents proud and they have been a big part of her educational and daily journey. She had a lot of procedures to learn online and she was highly motivated to get started right away at learning what she had to know to succeed.

Her advice for Indigenous students who have to leave their home communities to pursue their education is, “You have everything to gain and nothing to lose, and there's not many opportunities in your community, so get out and take those opportunities, especially as an Aboriginal person, right? Take every opportunity you can to grow and gain valuable knowledge. Don't be hard on yourself and you’ll still be learning every day. Be mindful, make friends and connections, and don't be afraid to ask for help."

When it comes to obstacles she’s faced, Thom-Gargan has had challenges managing patients, clients and staff shortages, heavy case loads and dealing with difficult clients. Personally, she’s had issues with fear, lack of motivation, financial hardship, her relationships, distractions and failure. To overcome those barriers, she’s had to just keep showing up. If she could give a message to her younger self it would be, “let go of the fear, embrace the change, and save your money. It's okay to be selfish, you have to take care of yourself. Keep going."

To balance her mental well-being, Thom-Gargan goes for walks, walking everywhere. She goes on girls trips every summer, scheduling adventures with people she loves. Being by the water also helps her feel better, which makes it lucky she lives where she does. Talking to her grandparents who make her life easier also helps.

When it comes to inspiration, Thom-Gargan says, “I have children watching me every time, every day, everywhere I go, I have five little hearts out there that are really close to me, and I just want them to be happy and healthy. When they see me happy and healthy, it reflects on them.” She’s also inspired by her grandparents and the opportunity to learn new things every day.

Working as a case aid worker and being free to help people in her community, Destiny Thom-Gargan finds joy every day. With a heart for children and a drive to take every opportunity that comes her way, she is eager to show up and make her family proud. While she’s had her struggles, she keeps showing up, embracing change and releasing fear.

Thanks to Alison Tedford Seaweed for authoring this article.