Community ambassadors played a crucial role in supporting care providers and sharing knowledge with community members during the pandemic. We spoke with Murshida Samsun, one of the community ambassadors for the COVID-19 vaccine clinic and later the Wellness Hub. She shared her experiences serving the Regent Park neighborhood during the pandemic and how it impacted her personal and professional life.
What motivated you to become a community ambassador for the COVID-19 vaccine clinic?
Growing up, I wanted to work in healthcare. But over time, I got deeply involved in exploring my community to understand the resources available. My main focus was to find different resources for my children.
As I sought out activities for my children to participate in within our community, I began volunteering for social development planning and assumed the role of co-chair for the community buildings. When the position of community ambassador at the COVID-19 vaccine clinic became available, I saw it as an extension of my ongoing involvement in community development. This prompted me to apply, considering the additional benefit of financial compensation.
Another motivation for becoming a community ambassador was to educate myself about the COVID-19 vaccine. I wanted to learn the science behind vaccine development and how it could help our immune system fight the virus. If I could educate myself, only then I could effectively communicate the benefits of the vaccine to others.
What were some of the challenges you observed community members experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic?
As a community ambassador, I started in the Regent Park neighborhood and later worked in other areas like St. Jamestown, Moss Park, and Church Corridor. Regent Park had many vulnerable people, and the COVID-19 pandemic made it even harder for them to access care and services. The groups most affected included seniors, newcomers, refugees, and individuals not attached to primary care providers.
When everything moved online during the lockdown, many of these individuals lacked internet access. Additionally, food insecurity surged due to difficulties accessing food banks and shortages of supplies.
Several community housing buildings instituted a ‘buddy system’ to assist senior residents during this challenging time. I also dedicated my time to help my neighbours with food, groceries, and internet access to the best of my ability. However, I encountered certain tasks that were beyond my capacity to address.
What did your typical day at the Wellness Hub look like?
The most important aspect of my role was earning the community members’ trust – not just for COVID-19 vaccination, but also for ongoing care of chronic diseases. I knew that they would not go to the COVID-19 vaccine clinic if they did not trust the knowledge and information I am sharing with them. So, earning their trust was a lengthy and challenging process.
Sometimes they needed emergency care immediately but were too nervous about COVID-19 to seek help. I repeatedly went into the community to talk to them about different healthcare needs beyond COVID-19 and explain why timely care is important.
At the clinic, I would assist staff in client education. When nurse practitioners would take consent and other necessary information from clients, I would comfort clients and make them understand why it is important to record that information. I was also responsible for clinic schedules and developing timely reports for the City of Toronto.
Often times, I would look for outreach opportunities and platforms to promote the Wellness Hub. I would keep an eye on social media and community-based newsletters. If there were community events happening in the neighbourhood, I would secure a spot to talk about the clinic and its services.
We know that Downtown East Toronto has a diverse population, with individuals from various cultural backgrounds. How would you transfer the knowledge to those whose first language is not English?
First, I would listen attentively to understand their situation and needs. I avoided interrupting their thoughts. Second, for community members who did not speak English, I would use translation tools like Google Translate. I would also take support from multilingual community ambassadors to assist with translation.
How has your experience at the Wellness Hub contributed to your personal and professional life?
Initially, I started community volunteering to involve my kids in the community. However, I realized I needed to empower myself first before I could empower them. That is why I focused heavily on learning during my time at the COVID-19 vaccine clinic and Wellness Hub.
When I became a community ambassador, I lacked certain skills required for the role. For instance, I did not know how to record and report data to the City of Toronto. But I dedicated time to learning new skills and gaining knowledge every day within the community setting.
Working as a community ambassador motivated me to enroll in a medical office administration course. This academic experience helped me grow in this field. After serving as a community ambassador, I was selected for the role of Community Outreach Worker at the Health Access Expansion Project at 200 Wellesley St. (The Corner). Recently, I joined Unity Health Toronto as a link worker for social prescribing.
I do not want to stop. I want to keep moving forward and set an example for my kids.
Could you share a particular memory from the entire journey of Wellness Hub that holds a special significance for you?
I remember the small moments that made a significant impact on our clients’ lives. For instance, during the pandemic lockdown, people experiencing precarious housing and homelessness often did not know where to find meals. They would come to the clinic for a juice box and snacks, which was often their meal for the day. Looking at their grateful faces, I could tell that we helped them get through the day. This is why such memories are precious to me.
Any concluding thoughts?
I want to acknowledge the hard work of all the community ambassadors. They played a significant role in the success of both the COVID-19 vaccine clinic and the Wellness Hub. Despite the fear and anxiety around the pandemic, they went into the community to support various care needs. Their efforts were a huge support for many people who truly needed it.
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