Working as a graduation coach isn’t just about convincing senior high school students about the importance of finishing high school, according to Toyin Jegede.
“It goes beyond graduation,” says the WECDSB’s new Graduation Coach for Black, African, and Caribbean students. “Obviously we’re in school and it’s about academics, but it's about so much more. We’re helping these students develop academically, socially and emotionally, and all of them have different needs. Everybody is unique, so I’m trying to see how I can provide them with personalized support.”
Jegede joined the WECDSB last November, working alongside colleague Sydnie Moore, providing support to students at Holy Names, St. Joseph’s and Assumption College Catholic High School. Prior to joining the board, she worked in the same capacity for almost two years at the St. Clair Catholic District School Board.
“It’s been great,” she said of the transition. “I’ve been able to find my footing and the staff have been so warm and welcoming.”
The role of the graduation coach is to provide culturally responsive support to Black, African & Caribbean students by working with school staff and school board leadership to offer mentorship, while promoting greater access to postsecondary opportunities so that when they graduate, they can get the specialized training they need to enter well-paid, skilled careers.
In hiring graduation coaches, the board looks for people with lived experience and connections to our region’s diverse Black communities.
Given that many of the students Jegede works with are new Canadians, she can form immediate bonds with them because of a shared experience: in 2021 she came to Canada from Nigeria where she lived and studied, completing an undergraduate degree in health education at Adekunle Ajasin University. Upon arrival in Canada, she went to Montreal where she earned a Master’s degree at McGill University.
“They love to celebrate their culture and their identity,” she said of the new Canadian students she works with. “It helps them to create a sense of community here.”
And in many cases she’s not just working with the students; she takes a holistic approach, often working with their families and forming bonds with them. The support she provides can include everything from connecting them with community resources or simply finding grocery cards for them, to seeking out networking opportunities and trying to help them find employment.
“I really love the family piece,” she said.
And the variety of issues that many of the students and families she works with can be vast.
“Some of them may be dealing with generational trauma because of what happened to their ancestors,” she said. “Some of them may have been refugees themselves and have been dealing with war, insurgencies and the trauma associated with that. Some of them may have actually had to run for their lives.”
Providing exemplary role models for the students she works with is very important in developing their self confidence and she often repeats a simple, but meaningful quote: “If you cannot see it, you cannot be it.”
“So not only are we trying to break barriers, but to help the students to believe in themselves,” she said. “It’s very rewarding and gives me a sense of satisfaction when I see the positive change and joy on the faces of the students I get to work with.”