Having trained as a clinical social worker with a keen interest in policy and program development, BobbiJo Flynn's work within complex systems has focused on fostering collaborative practices to policy, program design and service delivery that recognizes inherent human worth and dignity. BobbiJo holds a BA in Sociology and Criminology and a Master of Social Work from Wilfrid Laurier University and has held a variety of front line service delivery and leadership positions in justice and public safety, and health. She also operated a private clinical practice for over a decade.
BobbiJo began her social work practice in forensic mental health, building on a prior career in correctional services, supporting individual reintegration to community. She later moved into community mental health treatment in a variety of settings in Dartmouth and Amherst, Nova Scotia and Charlottetown P.E.I. before advancing to occupy the role of Community Mental Health Clinical Leader and later Mental Health Program Development Lead for Health PEI.
During her role as Mental Health Program Development Lead, she led the development of collaborative mental health services in Primary Care. In doing so BobbiJo contributed to national research and was invited to present on local practice and service development. For this work, she completed a Mental Health Commission of Canada Fellowship in Knowledge Translation and was awarded the Health PEI Leadership Excellence in Quality and Safety.
In 2016, BobbiJo returned to the justice sector and currently occupies the role of Director of Policy, Planning and Intergovernmental Relations with Justice and Public Safety where her practice has focused on improving community safety and wellbeing and promoting social justice through an ecosystemic approach and organizational development. She is proud to have provided policy leadership on the development of the Bridge Situation Table, focused on collaborative risk mitigation. Together with her team Bobbi Jo developed, launched and operates the Provincial Restorative Justice Program whose aim is to repair harms caused by crime and violence.
In advocating for social justice through policy, BobbiJo is proud to have co-led the development of the province’s first adult sexual violence strategy- the Culture of Care- released in 2023. More recently, in 2024, she led the development and implementation of the province’s first Therapeutic Court- a domestic violence court. The court is an inter-sectoral case management program combined with a specialized court, whose aim is to reduce interpersonal violence and improve responses to victims and perpetrators of violence.
No matter where BobbiJo has worked she has consistently reminded people that she is actively practising social work. BobbiJo is grateful and feels privileged to be able to contribute to bringing positive change to the community.