Hello, I am Susana, the founder of Bright Light Ideas.
I live, work and play on the traditional territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən speaking unceded Coast Salish territories in Southern Vancouver Island. Coming from El Salvador, a country torn apart by civil war, I have called Canada home since I was 17. I have had the privilege to work and learn across Canada and in other countries including Poland, Vietnam, Sierra Leone and Ghana. These experiences have given my practice a global perspective and inspired methods that take clients beyond mainstream ways of doing and knowing.
I offer the skills, experience and knowledge acquired during 20 years of work in community development to organizations and community groups who are devoted to making the world a better place.
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My early years as a front-line youth worker and as a prevention-educator on issues such as suicide, child abuse and sexualized violence taught me the importance of skilled group-facilitation for positive social transformation and have provided me the skills needed to hold space for difficult conversations. The youth I worked with taught me to create fun, engaging and meaningful learning environments that cater to diverse audiences.
Most recently I worked at the BC Non-Profit Housing Association (BCNPHA) as the Senior Manager, Education, where led the education and capacity-building initiatives of the organization in support of the non-profit housing sector. Prior to that, I was the National Director of Education and Training for Rent Smart Education and Support Society – a small but mighty non-profit organization mobilizing the power of community-based education to prevent homelessness and housing instability. Currently I am the Project Lead for bringing this program to Nunavut, ensuring it incorporates Inuit cultural values and is grounded in the reality of the territory. I also regularly teach at Royal Roads University’s Professional and Continuing Studies in the Certificate of Advance Facilitation Practices Program.
My work in community development has given me an extensive understanding of human dynamics and behaviour, societal issues and organizational change. This allows me to listen deeply to help teams work through complex and difficult processes. Throughout my career I have worked extensively with populations that have been marginalized and made vulnerable due to systemic inequities. I am committed to developing programs that are human-centred, fostering community voice and authentic engagement.
In addition to facilitation and learning-design, I am visual practitioner. I use hand-drawn images and templates to deepen understanding, increase engagement and foster positive communication.
I look forward to creating and collaborating with you!
Learn more about my experience by visiting my LinkedIn profile
