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Jocelyn N. McCrae

My name is Jocelyn McCrae and I am a Human Service major. I’ve been attempting to get my degree in this field since I first enrolled to City Tech in 2001. Life has derailed me from completing my goal of getting my degree but I have not sidetracked far from my passion in my professional career. In 2006, I entered the Human Service field, working with children, ages 6 – 21 with Developmental Disabilities and Intellectual Disabilities, in an after-school and weekend respite 12 bed program, with an organization called St. Joseph Villa in Richmond Virginia. I started out as a direct care counselor and was later promoted to the Floor Manager of Daily Operations. I enjoyed the job very much because it allowed me to be part of the client interdisciplinary team. I was able to advocate for the clients to ensure that their needs were being met while in the program and I had the abilities to make changes if they were not.

I was unable to continue with St. Joseph due to changes, once again, in my personal life. In 2009, I moved back to New York. Once again, I signed back up for school and attempted to get my degree. While enrolled in school, I was hired by YAI-NIPD where I became a Direct Service Professional in an Independent Care Living setting working with adults with Developmental Disabilities and Intellectual Disabilities. While my role with YAI was minuscule compared to the role I had at St. Joseph it was of equal importance. At YAI you bonded with your clients and their families on a more personal level. We integrated the clients into the communities and advocated on their behalf for their rights. Unfortunately for me, that was the last position I would ever held at YAI.
It is in my nature to help someone, anyone, whether it is a child who needs someone to keep an eye on them while they are in the park or a senior who needs assistance carrying a bag, I will always stop, help and make myself available for assistance when needed. I hope this time around I am able to complete my degree and start on the path to making a difference on a larger scale. Obtaining a B.A. in Human Service will open doors for me and allow me to use my talent and skills obtain from my encounter with real life situations to reach out to others. I believe that if you teach someone how to build a house, they can build more than one. My ultimate goal is to work with teens and young adults. I want to empower them with the tools and skills needed to survive and thrive. I want to assure them that regardless of their family situation and past mistakes there is a better road for them to travel.