SWITCH

We are student-initiated and student-led.

SWITCH was created by students in order to enrich educational experiences and to provide much needed services for Saskatoon’s core neighbourhoods. We have an active pool of volunteers from the University of Saskatchewan, University of Regina, and Saskatchewan Polytechnic. We are also beginning to see volunteers from other Saskatchewan educational institutions such as the First Nations University of Canada and Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies. What this also means is that our board of directors are students, primarily in the Health Sciences, professional colleges, or at the undergraduate level.

We are interprofessional.

Our mentors and student volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines with unique experiences to share.

Our Outreach team is responsible for making each SWITCH shift run smoothly by preparing and serving food, assisting with educational programming, and providing childcare.

Our Clinical team is made up of many different health disciplines, collaborating together on each case to provide non-judgemental and client-centered care. The students volunteer alongside a doctor or nurse practitioner, cultural support worker, receptionist, and other healthcare mentors. In addition to traditional clinical services, we offer counselling, speech language pathology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, chiropractic, acupuncture, cultural supports, gynecology, pediatrics, pharmacy, and nutritional education.

We are a clinic.

SWITCH operates through the Saskatoon Community Clinic, out of the Westside Community Clinic. The clinic is across Avenue P. from St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. We operate Mondays and Wednesdays and Saturdays to provide free walk-in clinical and social services to residents of Saskatoon’s inner city, though all residents are welcome.

Vision

All residents of Saskatoon have equitable access to culturally safe healthcare, nutrition, and education to better equip them with tools to create opportunities for themselves.

Mission

SWITCH augments the training of future professionals while improving the health, education, and skills of people from Saskatoon’s core communities, ultimately achieving lasting positive change for everyone involved.

Values

The following values serve as a guide as we work toward our vision:

– Positively impacting the social determinants of health
– Empowering all clients served, as well as, students and mentors to make a difference in the community
– Striving to provide comprehensive care that is holistic and interdisciplinary
– Building cooperative partnerships with organizations, governments, and post-secondary institutions to foster open and collaborative relationships
– Earning the trust and respect of our partners, clients, mentors, and volunteers
– Innovation and dedication to excellence
– Ethical, social, and cultural responsibility
– Providing educational experiences that help students become more aware of and responsive to the needs of diverse populations
– Delivering compassion and empathy for everyone

Hours and Location

SWITCH is privileged to operate out of the Westside Community Clinic at: 1528 20th Street West.

SWITCH Summer Hours: 

• May, June, July & August, Wednesday evenings only

SWITCH Clinic and Programming:

• Monday from 5:30-8:00pm
• Wednesday from 5:30-8:00pm
• Saturday from 12:30-3:00pm

SWITCH Volunteer Shifts:

• Monday from 5:00-9:00pm
• Wednesday from 5:00-9:00pm
• Saturday from 12:00-4:00pm

Services

SWITCH offers the following services:

– Walk-in, interprofessional, after-hours, holistic clinical services with mentors and students from:

– Medicine
– Social work and counselling
– Pharmacy
– Chiropractic and acupuncture
– Paediatrics
– Gynaecology
– Speech language pathology
– Nursing
– Physical therapy
– Occupational therapy
– Dietician
– And more…

– Nutritional meal, including fresh fruits and vegetables, and coffee
– Nutrition advice
– Conversation and a safe space to spend time
– Advocacy
– Traditional Elder and Healer
– Child minding
– All ages homework help centre
– Assistance with transportation
– Women’s, men’s, and children’s educational programming
– Community addictions and mental health outreach
– Referrals and resources
– Free phone usage (local calls)
– Special events including Community Dinners and our Women’s Pamper Night

Who We Are

Staff

Jennifer Pritchard (she/her) is the SWITCH Executive Director. Jennifer is a graduate of First Nations University with a Masters in Indigenous Social Work. She enjoys working in the community and has a passion for making meaningful change. Jennifer also enjoys painting and traveling with her family and their dog, Tina Turner. Jennifer can be contacted here.

Mikka Mitchell (she/her) is the SWITCH Program Coordinator. Previously working with at risk youth and the elderly, she has a passion for animals- particularly her cat, Chickadee. She has in interest in medicine and antiques. Currently pursuing a major in psychology, Mikka is looking forward to completing her degree and moving on to graduate school. Mikka can be contacted for all programming inquires here.

Mikaela Braun (she/her) is the SWITCH Volunteer Coordinator. Working also as CCA in long-term care, Mikaela is passionate when it comes to helping out the community. You can usually find her crocheting, cooking or baking, or talking about her two cats, Dumpling and Stew! Mikaela can be contacted here.

SWITCH is currently looking for a cultural advisor. If you are interested in this position, please contact the Executive Director here.

Board of Directors

Patrick Sarmiento (he/him) is studying Neuroscience at USask, and  is the current Chair of the SWITCH Board of Directors. The Chair prepares the agenda and leads Board of Director meetings, works closely with staff, and provides leadership to create and implement short- and long-term goals for SWITCH’s future. Patrick can be contacted here.	Muqtasida Fatima (she/her) is studying Kinesiology at USask, and is the current Vice-Chair of the SWITCH Board of Directors. The Vice-Chair provides leadership alongside the Chair, and works closely with other Directors and staff to create and implement short- and long-term goals for SWITCH’s future. Muqtasida can be contacted here.	Christine Balderama (she/her) is studying Nursing at USask, and is the current Treasurer of the SWITCH Board of Directors. The Treasurer works closely with the staff to update the Board on financial matters. They assist in payroll, act as a signatory, enter and receipt donations, and work with the bookkeeper and other financial professionals regarding SWITCH’s finances. Christine can be contacted here.
Abrar Tarhuni (she/her) is studying Health Studies at USask, and is the current Secretary of the SWITCH Board of Directors. The Secretary supports the Chair and Vice-Chair in the management of the Board of Directors. They record and organize meeting minutes and are in charge of the website and SharePoint. Abrar can be contacted here.	Prabhpreet Kaur (she/her) is studying Cellular, Physiological, and Pharmacological Sciences at USask, and is the current holder of the Community Engagement Portfolio. The holder of the Community Engagement Portfolio works to strengthen SWITCH’s relationship with other community-based organizations (CBOs). They also chair the Community Outreach Committee. If you are from a CBO and are interested in learning more about Community Cares meetings, or if you are a student interested in learning more about the Community Outreach Committee, please contact Prabhpreet here.	Maria Zafar (she/her) is studying Biomedical Sciences at USask, and is the current holder of the Student Recruitment and Retention Portfolio. The holder of the Student Recruitment and Retention Portfolio is responsible for bringing in new student volunteers from various colleges and maintaining current volunteers through promotion at campus events, classroom presentations, and volunteer appreciation initiatives. They also chair the Student Recruitment and Retention Committee. Maria can be contacted here.
Maheen Zafar (she/her) is studying Cellular, Physiological, and Pharmacological Sciences at USask, and is the current holder of the Mentor Portfolio. The holder of the Mentor Portfolio ensures that all mentors interested in SWITCH are trained, orientated, and have all the proper paperwork submitted prior to mentoring. They ensure that each shift has a physician/nurse practitioner and a social worker signed up. Overall, the Mentor Portfolio acts as a liaison to address any questions or concerns the mentors may have about SWITCH. Maheen can be contacted here.	Anushua Sen (she/her) is studying Neuroscience at USask, and is the current holder of the Shift Teams Leader Portfolio. The holder of the Shift Teams Leader Portfolio is responsible for the training and support of Clinical Team Leaders, Outreach Team Leaders, and Nutrition Supervisors, ensuring consistency on shift. As well, this position supports the Volunteer and Program Coordinators’ on-shift duties. Anushua can be contacted here.	Alex Flaman (she/her) is studying Medicine at USask, and is the current holder of the Alumni Relations Portfolio. The holder of the Alumni Relations  Portfolio looks to maintain connections with SWITCH alumni. All alumni related inquiries can be directed to Alex here.
	SWITCH is currently look for an advisory member for the SWITCH board. Please direct all inquires here.

History

Annual Reports

Annual report summary 2017-2018

Coming soon.