Today I came to the realization that I am not a social worker. Let me clarify. Having spent the better part of the last 10 years working in social services/human service field, I have been referred to as, and worked along side social workers. However, I have always clarified that I am a rehabilitation counselor, not a social worker. Today I realized that my core value is more in line with rehab - I want to help, but I want those I help to want the help. I also want them to participate in their own help/solution, as much as and to the extent they are able. I do not want to do for others what they can do for themselves. In this job this is often looked at as a cold-hearted.
Now, having said that, I also want to say that for the past couple of years I have felt that I am jaded and burned out, and have lost touch with just why I went into this field in the first place. I still am not sure this is what I want to do anymore. However, I still possess the ability to get very fired up on behalf of those I am supposed to be serving. Today the advocate in me raised her ugly head several times. And I am not sure I can ethically support what I am supposed to do anymore. So I am doing some hard thinking right now.
It looks like I will be embracing poverty again very soon. As much as I hate it, I think it is still the less evil alternative in my life at this point.
I hope I am wrong. But something has to give, if I am to live.
That is why I get frustrated at work. You and I have the same feeling about how to go about doing right while giving our client's their digity be showing them that they are capable of helping themself. I say shame on whoever's rules say that we must do more for people than is necessary. I am convenced that the long term result is a person who has never realized their full potental in life. It is ironic that one of the reasons our clients are kept down at times is the very system that is suppose to assist them become as independent as possible.
ReplyDeleteTerre you and I keep running into brick walls, but without us, there will be two less people who can be trying from within to make a difference even if the results might not be what it should be.