Daniel’s enthusiasm and passion for supporting young people is infectious. As a mediator at Conflict Resolution Service within the Safe and Connected Youth Program, Daniel is able to engage young people in raw and vulnerable conversations, that is non-confrontational, and trauma informed. Daniel’s work is youth centred, and family focussed, and he understands the young person’s place within family systems and the power of working in a holistic family approach. Daniel has a passion for learning and professional development and is always looking for innovative ways to engage some of our most hard to reach young people.
Daniel’s energy and drive for improving the lives of young people and empowering families is embedded in everything he does and is demonstrated in his ability when building rapport with young people. Daniel has an aptitude for creating safe, nurturing spaces for the young people and families he works with that enables them to feel comfortable and open to discussing their family dynamics, something that is not an easy feat. Daniel uses this trust to build strong therapeutic alliances and engage in challenging, thought-provoking communication and conflict coaching exercises with families, that enable them to build new skills, and equip them with strategies to support their relationships at home.
Not only does Daniel exhibit a genuine willingness to learn and a commitment to his own self-improvement, but also the skill development of his colleagues. Daniel has presented psychoeducation professional development workshops to the other members of his team that have then enabled them to have greater confidence in supporting young people who are escalated or in crisis. He has also been exploring how to incorporate his experiences and education as a counsellor into the realm of mediation and has provided a number of tools, resources and activities the Safe and Connected Youth team can use to support their clients.
Daniel has made a significant impact on the lives of the families he has worked with.
