The skills alumni Emma-Jane developed at SelfDesign® Learning Community from 2008 to 2020 have transferred into her work in public service at BC Housing, where she supports housing development through the BC Builds program. Looking ahead, she has clear goals to pursue a master’s degree and continue contributing to Canadian politics and representation.
That sense of purpose didn’t appear overnight. It was shaped over many years of learner-centred education and community.
SelfDesign’s approach to learning is built on trust and the practice of “allowing”. Instead of telling learners what they should study, SelfDesign creates space for learning to unfold naturally. Over time, learners begin to notice what they care about. They start paying attention to what they’re curious about and what matters most to them.
For Emma-Jane, that kind of learning made all the difference. SelfDesign didn’t shape her into a certain type of learner. It gave her room to grow into herself while being supported by a strong learning community along the way.
Emma-Jane remembers her mom’s process when choosing SelfDesign.
“My mom was realizing that I was really full of energy, and I had so many passions,” Emma-Jane reflects. “She didn’t want that to be kind of squashed by the public school system. As I got older, my mother definitely wanted some more support. She wanted to ensure that I got the education that I wanted and that I was supported in all of my different passions.”
Emma-Jane’s learning journey began with SelfDesign in kindergarten and continued through Grade 12. Along the way, she built strong skills in reflection, confidence and self-direction. She explored big topics like social justice, activism and leadership, and she learned how to stay connected to her values while growing up.
Those values were reinforced not just through coursework, but through people.
One of the biggest highlights of Emma-Jane’s SelfDesign experience was community. Even though SelfDesign learners learn online, Emma-Jane says she was still able to build meaningful relationships with educators, mentors and peers.
“Probably the biggest highlight is the people I met,” Emma-Jane remembers. “There are so many amazing educators and mentors, and also some really great peers that I’m still friends with to this day. At SelfDesign, I felt like I was really in a community, and I feel like that’s where learning really can grow.”
Another part of SelfDesign that mattered to Emma-Jane was the freedom to bring learning from the outside world into her education. At SelfDesign, learning can include the people and experiences that shape a learner’s life.
“You’re allowed to bring other people from other parts of your life into your learning journey,” Emma-Jane shares. “My dance and pottery teachers were part of it. They weren’t necessarily contracted by SelfDesign, but they were part of that journey for me.”
Emma-Jane’s K-10 learning consultant (LC), Jennifer Engracio, agrees. She believes that some of the most important learning happens through relationships with everyone involved in supporting a learner.
“All your mentors, all the people that are important to you in your life, they are all your teachers, not just the person who happens to be your LC,” Jennifer says.
Jennifer also describes SelfDesign as a place where learners can follow their interests without being forced into one predetermined path. Instead of focusing on checking boxes, SelfDesign supports learners in building a learning journey that fits who they are.
“Our job as LCs is to find ways to encourage learners to pursue their interests,” Jennifer explains. “When we approach it from this perspective, and we just say, ‘Okay, well, this learner is really into this, we just go along with it.’ A lot of times with Emma-Jane, I was running alongside.”
For Emma-Jane, those interests were deeply connected to justice, politics and civic engagement, and they started early. SelfDesign supported her in exploring these topics in a meaningful way, especially during her high school years.
“I was always really interested in social justice, especially in the high school years,” Emma-Jane reflects. “I took Social Justice 11 and 12, and I took Law 12 as well. Those courses really allowed me to explore concepts around activism and justice, and what that means in our society.”
Jennifer also points out how much a learner’s home life can shape their learning. Emma-Jane’s family values helped guide her path, and those values were supported through her SelfDesign learning journey.
“Emma-Jane’s family is very, very interested in social and environmental justice,” Jennifer shares. “They understand that those two things are connected. Emma-Jane’s mom used to take her to voting booths before she could vote. She saw the whole process. Also, Emma-Jane has always been out there volunteering and involved in activism, since she was really young.”
Another part of Emma-Jane’s experience that mattered deeply was the long-term relationship she had with Jennifer. Working together over many years created stability, trust and support that grew and deepened over time.
“There’s a lot of benefits of working with the same educator or learner for 10 years,” Jennifer explains. “I have all the history from working with the learner, year after year. I don’t have to keep asking the same questions, and it’s less disruptive for the learners.”
Emma-Jane felt that too.
“You don’t have to keep explaining yourself,” she says. “Once you get to know your LC, they know who you are and what you like, and can support you in various endeavours.”
After commencing from SelfDesign, Emma-Jane went on to complete a double major in Political Science and Environmental Studies at UVic. She credits SelfDesign with helping her develop skills that supported her in post-secondary, especially reflection, self-awareness and a growth mindset.
“The biggest thing that SelfDesign has supported me in is my ability to reflect on what I’m learning,” Emma-Jane shares. “A lot of my university classmates were not able to do that, and it came really naturally to me, because I had that training in SelfDesign.”
Emma-Jane’s story shows what’s possible when learners are trusted to follow what matters to them. Through SelfDesign, she developed the ability to reflect on her learning and make intentional choices. That foundation continues to guide her work in public service today.
