Jeff Doyle

Jeff Doyle is a PSW at CarePartners living in Roslin, Ont., which is close to Belleville. Jeff participated in the facing management stream at the 2018 Summer Academy.

The Academy, says Jeff, was “fantastic” and his stream was a perfect fit for him.

“I could not have been enrolled in a better course at the time,” says Jeff. “My immediate supervisor and I, we do not get along as well as we should. I think that facing management course was really informative. It gave me the confidence I needed to approach my manager and address our issues better.”

The program opened Jeff’s eyes to some of the daily problems that exist in his organization. It was also an opportunity to learn ways to solve some of those issues with the help of his union and his co-workers.

“One of the key things I learned is that conflict it is not necessarily a bad thing—conflict can be an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to make your workplace better and repair issues that may need fixing. It’s also a chance to raise the bar higher,” says Jeff.

Not only did the Academy give Jeff more confidence in facing his manager, but it gave him more courage in his job. As a homecare worker, it can be difficult to go into new homes and meet new people so often. Jeff connected with other members in the homecare sector who provided him with advice on how to overcome that workplace challenge.

Finally, Jeff says the Academy was a wonderful experience for him socially. He really enjoys connecting with his fellow SEIU Healthcare brothers and sisters at union events.

“I live in a small town and I work a lot, so a few years ago, when I started getting involved with the union, I was lacking a social outlet,” said Jeff. “At the Academy, though, we all had such a great time together and it is great way to meet life-long friends.”