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Fellow Name: Shondell Younette Thomas

Country: Guyana

Fellow’s home audit office: Audit Office of Guyana

Title: Audit Supervisor

Email: Shondell.thomas@audit.org.gy

Audit Plan Topic: Preparedness of the Guyana Fire Service in responding to wildfires in Guyana

Canadian Host Office: Office of the Auditor General of Manitoba

Grad Quote: “Now that I have completed the Fellowship, I am equipped to be an exemplary leader.”

Gallery (2024):

Two experience images (2024):

Decoration Color: Green

Profile Headshot:

My Fellowship:

My Canadian placement:

Office of the Auditor General (OAG) of Manitoba

My Canadian audit team:

I was part of a team working on an audit on youth mental health, led by Principal Jonathan Stoesz and Manager Graham Hickman.

My most valuable learning:

My most valuable learning relates to three essential components—People, Content, and Process—of delivering successful audits. These components must be aligned, thus there is need for a balanced approach between the People (managing relationships), Content (leading thinking), and Process (leading quality) for a successful audit.

How my Canadian colleagues and mentors helped me:

My Canadian colleagues at the OAG of Manitoba have been most welcoming and supportive. The culture of the office helped me to understand the importance of having and monitoring organisational procedures and policies. Remarkably, there is the LOOP (an intranet) where personal and professional activities, office policies, and procedures are available. For office procedures and policies, the responsible lead monitors staff compliance.

What I enjoyed most:

I enjoyed the kindness as well as the professionalism of the members of staff. They took great care of us and helped us to create special and memorable experiences in Manitoba. Everyone was willing to share their knowledge and experiences with us. My mentor taught and exposed me to performance audit planning and scoping techniques. The members of staff at CAAF have been very kind. My most impressive session was the one that dealt with culture shock. This session helped me to cope with the separation from my family and way of life in Guyana. Thank you.

My audit plan:

I developed my audit plan with the guidance of my mentor at the OAG of Manitoba, Principal Jonathan Stoesz.

The connection to my country’s development priorities:

Climate change has put the world at risk to natural and human-created disasters, including an increase in the number and intensity of wildfires. From 2021 to April 2024 there has been a substantial increase of wildfires in Guyana. Thus, the Audit Office of Guyana has decided to conduct a performance audit of the preparedness of the Guyana Fire Service in responding to wildfires in Guyana.

This audit will apply a gender lens and Sustainable Development Goals focus by:

1. looking at the impact of wildfires in the remote areas, especially for vulnerable women and girls; and
   
   
2. seeking to determine how the Guyana Fire Service mandate is incorporated in the Sustainable Development Goals national targets.

This audit will strengthen the operations of the Guyana Fire Service by providing the awareness and insight for Legislators and other stakeholders on the potential impact of wildfires, and provide assurance that the Guyana Fire Service is prepared for and thus able to respond as effectively as possible to wildfires.

How CAAF and my host office helped:

CAAF helped tremendously with applying a gender lens and the Sustainable Development Goals focus to my audit project. The challenge sessions helped me to make sure I had sufficient information to determine the auditability of my project.

The skills and knowledge I improved by developing this plan:

The process of developing this audit plan has enhanced my research and presentation skills. Also, I gained tremendous knowledge on building audit questions and aligning them to objectives and criteria.

My future impact:

The new knowledge I’m most excited to share with my colleagues:

I am very interested in establishing a mentorship programme which will include minor soft skills training. Moreover, in this programme the book club idea will be well suited. Mentoring creates an environment for knowledge sharing and relationship building. I am excited because this Fellowship program has helped me to stop, evaluate and create a new perspective on the impact I desire to make. I am convinced that the mentorship programme will enhance the ‘People’ component of delivering successful audits.

The difference I hope to make:

I have gained skills and resources to help me apply the gender lens and Sustainable Development Goals focus to every audit I am assigned to perform. I am convinced that performance audits will contribute to government gaining insight and thus implementing policies or procedures to help them achieve their Sustainable Development Goals and gender equality/equity targets.

My professional goals:

I desire to be a role model to my colleagues. I will apply the soft skills I have gained from the book club, leadership and Leading Successful Audits trainings to guide my everyday work and to share the same with my colleagues. Additionally, train-the-trainers sessions have enhanced my presentation and delivery skills. I love teaching and these sessions have equipped me to do so with excellence.

My Experience Part 1:

The most Canadian thing I did was…

The most Canadian thing I did was regularly going for walks with my colleagues to buy Tim Hortons coffee while just catching up.

My favourite cultural experience in Canada was…

Thanksgiving dinner with my colleague’s mentor’s family. I met his family, parents, aunt and uncle. It was super special. The most intriguing was after dinner we had tea and carrot cake and played UNO card game. Fabulous!!!

My Experience Part 2:

My Fellowship experience in one sentence:

This experience has transformed my life and has rejuvenated the fire to continue to make a difference in the lives of citizens through my audit profession.

My Fellowship in a single word:

Extraordinary!

Now that I have completed the Fellowship…

I am equipped to be an exemplary leader. I have learnt soft skills that have enhanced my relationship-building and management skills. I believe that I will be able to be a positive role model to my colleagues and clients. 

Gender: Female

Shondell is a passionate audit professional who possesses a Master’s Degree in Oil and Gas Management from the University of Bedfordshire, London. In addition, she holds an Ordinary Diploma in Commerce, a Diploma in Accountancy, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Corporate Finance.

She commenced her journey at the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) of Guyana in 2012 performing financial audits. She is currently an Audit Supervisor. Prior to Shondell’s endeavours at the Audit Office of Guyana (AOG), she was employed in the private sector where she gained over fifteen years of experience in administration and accounting. Performance auditing is new to her.

My goals for the Fellowship

I am anticipating that the Fellowship will help me to gain insight on performance audit techniques and skills. I am also curious to understand the impact of performance audits and how they are used in assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of government programs and activities. Further, I look forward to enhancing my leadership skills and techniques.

The impact I hope to make as a graduate Fellow

Upon completion of the Fellowship programme, I will apply the skills and techniques I acquire to make a positive impact in the Audit Office of Guyana and by extension my country. I am desirous of establishing a Coaching and Mentorship Programme at AOG with the objectives of: (i) providing an avenue for knowledge sharing through networking opportunities and bridging the generational gaps; (ii) providing educational empowerment for SAI Guyana auditors through collaborative programmes with established educational institutions and development partners such as the Canadian Audit and Accountability Foundation; (iii) exploring and developing strategies to enhance auditors’ leadership skills to positively impact the audit profession; and (iv) encouraging stakeholder engagement to make an enriching impact on the lives of our citizens.