From the Heart is a space for the reflections of our staff on issues that matter to them, to our network, and most importantly, to those we walk alongside.
This month, we sat down with Jennifer Kilimnik who is joining Réseau Compassion Network as our full-time Director, Compassion & Culture, to chat with her about what she envisions for the future and the power of compassionate workplaces. Jennifer has been a part-time member of the team for several years, and she will begin in her new role on January 31.
You’ve been interested in compassion, meditation, and mindfulness for a long time. Why are they so important to you?
Interestingly enough, the Compassion Project (Réseau Compassion Network’s mindfulness-based trainings) was a big part of my interest, long before I became a member of the team. In 2009, I attended a conference where the speakers discussed ways to increase life satisfaction. They proposed loving kindness meditation as one of the tools. I searched for courses here in Winnipeg and couldn’t find any.
Finally, I stumbled upon the Compassion Project and learned about self-compassion at a time where I really needed to hear those messages.
I learned as I worked through my own practice. There isn’t a roadmap for mindfulness or compassion, but the work of the Compassion Project really laid down some patterns that helped me, and our organizations, find a way forward.
You’re now a trained teacher of Mindful Self-Compassion, and you spent several years as the Director of Corporate Education at St.Amant. How have those experiences prepared you for this new role?
Overall, my goal is to help people find purpose and meaning in their work. When they have that, it translates into how they work and how people receiving their support feel. Whether it’s an individual or a team…you can feel the difference between someone who sees this as a job versus someone who sees this as their purpose or a calling. It aligns with their sense of what’s important in the world.
Having worked both in a network organization and for Réseau Compassion Network itself, I also have such a deep respect for what each organization is doing. I don’t want to lose the things that make our network members unique. As sponsors, we’re here to help them express that in a way that fits with our Sponsorship Accountability Framework but respects their autonomy and their mission.
In your new role, you’ll be focusing a lot on creating compassionate workplaces. Why is that so important in health and social services?
We’re certainly not the first organization to explore this. There’s been a lot of work done with the Health Standards Organization around what compassionate workplaces look like and why they matter.
We know compassion can and should be a part of everything we do. Naturally, those who work on the frontlines should be compassionate towards those they support, but how do we expand that compassion to every aspect of an organization? How can we demonstrate compassion when we think about leadership development, about human resources, about who we partner with and what programs we implement?
Imagine what an organization would feel like if compassion was one of the driving factors in its decision-making. We would have space and safety to be ourselves, to make mistakes, to learn and grow, to form relationships with our colleagues and our clients or patients.
So, we’re starting to forge this path at Réseau Compassion Network. It’s a bold process. Luckily, there’s a lot to drawn on from the faith traditions on which we’re founded: the Sisters strove for these ideals, too. I feel very blessed to be able to carry on the spirit of compassion and love in a modern health care and social services setting.