Ask Yourself ...
Are you, or your organization, really helping your clients? Or are you just going through the motions of helping them?
There is a BIG difference.
We pose this question because we’ve witnessed people and organizations in advocacy work just going through the motions and thinking that’s good enough. They do the minimum required to get the job done, or they focus on their interests and at times overlook the best interests of their clients.
They focus on maximizing their client census, meeting all the accreditation requirements, completing all the appropriate paperwork, and running all the required therapeutic groups to get some extra funding. But when it comes to taking a good, hard look at what they could do better to directly help each client as much as possible, in our experience some people and organizations can—and should—do better.
Is Your Organization Doing Enough?
Ogranizations can fall short on training. Hiring employees with a clean criminal background and some relevant schooling or experience is not enough. These employees also need quality training to make them the best child advocates that they can be.
The training curriculum should do much more than just the minimum required to meet accreditation and licensing requirements. The training should be practical, relevant, and intense; it should be dedicated to ensuring the absolute best care for the clients.
Moreover, organizations should offer additional resources to enable their employees to become passionate experts at their craft. An internal marketing program, for example, should be in full force to enhance employee morale and commitment to the job. As well, a library of books and videos should be available and actively promoted to employees for their ongoing self-learning.
Furthermore, as much money as possible should be dedicated to services and items that directly benefit the clients. Money should be saved by skimping on nonessential administrative needs or pruning unsuccessful programs, not by neglecting important client needs in successful, or potentially successful, programs.
And finally, organizations should actively solicit and pay real attention to employee suggestions for improvements. Feedback from the non-clinical direct care workers, in particular, should be seriously regarded, for these employees have the ultimate perspective on the behaviors and needs of the clients.
If you're thinking that all of these points are no-brainers, you're right. They indeed boil down to one thing: common sense.
Are You Doing Enough?
What are you, as an individual, doing to improve your skills and value to the clients? If your organization offers less support than you'd like, don’t let that stop you. Become the best advocate you can for your clients regardless of any other factors.
Rather than think of the value you can create for your career or the organization, think of what value you can create for the clients. Because you’ve ultimately chosen this career to help the children, haven’t you?
In any case, we want you to question yourself. Ask if you are really helping your clients, or if you’re just going through the motions of helping them. If the latter, then make a change. Re-dedicate yourself to your clients.
You have a moral obligation to do so. Don’t you?