stephanie scott

Expressive Arts as an opportunity to express yourself when words can’t. 

Meet Stephanie...

Registrar, Outreach & Practicum Coordinator, MA

“Art for social change is interesting because it connects the two things I care about: the arts and international development.”

- Stephanie Scott, WHEAT Registrar Outreach and Practicum Co-ordinator

Wheat - spotlight - Stephanie

WHO IS STEPHANIE SCOTT? 

Stephanie is the Registrar, Outreach and Practicum Coordinator for WHEAT Institute. She has a background in Anthropology and International Development Studies, specifically focusing on children's rights during post-conflict recovery and development. 

 

Stephanie also works part-time as the Communications Director for Young Peacebuilders and is a Board Member for a local non-profit, Bridging Villages.

 

Previous volunteer roles included serving as the Regional Representative of the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation for War Child Canada and supporting the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

 

Stephanie is motivated to grow WHEAT's presence locally, nationally and globally by cultivating relationships with people, organizations, and communities focused on using the therapeutic arts for social change.

 

“My academic background is in international development, looking at children's rights. While I was doing my research with women and children in Uganda, I became aware of the use of drama, storytelling, music, and visual arts as a way for children to process their trauma and reintegrate back into their communities.”

- Stephanie Scott, WHEAT Registrar Outreach and Practicum Co-ordinator 

STEPHANIE'S EXPERIENCE WITH WHEAT...

Welcoming Wheat (1)

“Some favourite moments with WHEAT for me are often at the beginning and end of each cohort. By participating in the art exercise at orientation, I can share a little bit more about myself and connect with the students. I see myself as “the admin person,” yet I am an integral to each student's journey.

Graduation at WHEAT is a meaningful event. I put together the program and collect the student bios, art, self-portraits, and abstracts or summaries of their research projects. I see myself as "the admin person", but I also recognize that I have the privilege of being an integral part of each student’s journey.”

 

WHAT DOES EXPRESSIVE ARTS MEANT TO YOU?

“Expressive Art is an opportunity to express yourself when words cannot do the job. My research for my MA was with children from Northern Uganda who've been through trauma, violence and conflict as child soldiers. Talking to a therapist is strange for them. Expressing themselves through storytelling, music, painting, or drama is easier than sitting down to talk to a stranger. Often, a child would play a character in their storytelling, but the character was them.”

“Expressive Arts is an opportunity to express yourself when words cannot do the job. When children have experienced trauma, it’s not always going to work to have them sit down with a therapist in a traditional setting. That therapist is a stranger to them; but an opportunity to be painting, drawing, participating in a drama play, or a music production, is often easier because it is fun and creative.”

- Stephanie Scott, WHEAT Registrar Outreach and Practicum Co-ordinator 

STEPHANIE'S ANCESTRAL STORY

Stephanie

I'm a Canadian Setter born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on Treaty One Territory. My Father was of Scottish lineage, and my Mother is of Dutch lineage. My paternal Grandpa was a farmer on the prairies and a WWII veteran who served on the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. My maternal Grandparents immigrated from the Netherlands in the late 1950's. 

I maintained a strong connection to my Dutch heritage through my maternal Grandparents. When I was a baby, my Grandpa carved me a wooden shoe I still have tucked in my possession. My brother and I's school lunches often included a peanut butter and hagelslag (candy sprinkle) sandwich, a Dutch tradition. I have felt more drawn to exploring my Scottish heritage in recent years and am excited to dig deeper into my ancestry.
Ever since I was a child, I have felt strongly that we are all human, regardless of where we are from or our background. My passion and purpose are to help make a difference, even if that means positively touching one person's life.
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