When Amanda Gibbons’ life turned upside down, she was motivated by experience to help others
MANITOULIN—Manitoulin has benefited from strong policing from both the Ontario Provincial Police and Indigenous police services for many years. Recently, there has been a major changing of the guard as many long-serving police officers have retired or moved on and been replaced with a fresh crop of people dedicated to serving and protecting the community. This is especially true in local Indigenous police services.
It was her own personal brush with tragedy that prompted Amanda Gibbons to pursue a career in policing. The previously happy, stay-at-home Mindemoya mom of two young boys had never given the profession a thought until she answered the door one night in 2014 to police officers, there to give her the devastating news that her husband Shawn had died in a car crash. That life-changing event had profound impacts on Amanda that extended beyond meeting the immediate emotional and psychological needs of her children. Now finding herself the sole breadwinner for her sons and inspired by the extraordinary assistance and support she received from police officers at the time of Shawn’s death, she was determined to work in a field that enables her to help other vulnerable people in times of distress. That led her to investigate becoming a crisis support worker.
“I wanted to do this work because I understand what a difference it makes to have a helping hand to do the things you just can’t do yourself in that initial crisis period. Even though my family, friends and community were there for me and incredibly supportive, I know from first-hand experience how much the extra assistance from police can help,” says Amanda who today is employed as a crisis worker by the Wikwemikong Tribal Police Service (WTPS). “I am so grateful to the police officers for the support I received. It may not be the same for everyone, but it really mattered to me.”
The transition from homemaker to crisis support worker didn’t happen overnight, of course. Amanda’s first step, two months after her husband’s accident, was to enroll in the Mental Health and Addiction Worker course at Kenjgewin Teg in M’Chigeeng. A work placement with the program saw her spend time at the long-term care centre in Gore Bay. She also worked at Haven House in Mindemoya while studying.
Following graduation, Amanda moved on to the Centennial Manor in Little Current where she took on the positions of both activity assistant as well as physiotherapy assistant.
Amanda’s next stop was Manitoulin Lodge where she began as an activity assistant and went on to become the Family and Resident Service Coordinator. In that role, she oversaw admissions, helped new clients settle in at the home and provided support to their families.
“I loved working with seniors and their families, it was so rewarding. But I still wanted to try my hand at crisis work as it had such a tremendous impact on my life,” she says.
To advance that goal Amanda worked full-time and studied simultaneously, attending Laurentian University and completing an online degree in psychology. Her dream job fell into place shortly after she graduated in 2024, when a posting for a crisis worker position with WTPS caught her eye. She applied and soon after landed the job.
As she doesn’t have a policing background, Amanda is employed as a civilian – not a police officer. The roles are different but complementary. Her job is to offer support to people in crisis, whatever the circumstance may be.
“The position covers a broad range of situations, from attending deaths and supporting family members, to responding to concerns about suicide ideation, to sexual assaults and determining if urgent medical care is needed in cases of intimate partner violence,” she explains. “I work with survivors to get the resources and support they need in- and outside the community.”
“I am meeting people who are vulnerable, often on the worst day of their lives,” Amanda shares. “I accompany officers and sometimes try to deescalate difficult situations. I assess the person’s problem and, together, we determine what their basic needs are – whether it’s getting food to eat, a place to stay or other services they require.”
“I am called in anytime someone is a victim of crime, following a referral by police,” she adds. “I sometimes also work with social agencies if approved by police and with the consent of the individual involved, particularly regarding mental health concerns. But it always must be the individual’s choice. It’s not my role to offer long-term counselling. Instead, I need to meet them where they are at that moment to help them move on from the situation. It’s disheartening when someone refuses assistance but I always say ‘I’m here if you need me, just contact me when you’re ready’.”
Amanda has moved forward in her own life, which now includes a committed partnership with Bryan Ainslie. Both her sons are grown up and engaged in postsecondary studies at Sault College and Laurentian University, succeeding in their lives too.
Just over a year into her job as a crisis worker, she is content. “My whole reason for going back to school was to get into this field. I’ve been able to put everything I’ve learned and the skills I’ve acquired to help people. The best part is when someone says they feel better or thank me for support.
I’ve also learned a lot from, and am grateful to, the great team that works with me. I’m very impressed with how knowledgeable officers are in understanding and addressing mental health issues, which are frequent in policing. Unlike TV dramas with aggressive officers, for the most part they are really empathetic and compassionate people.
I always wanted to do this kind of work as I thought it would be so interesting, and it certainly is!”
by Heather Marshall
