Changes are rapidly being planned and implemented at work.
Circle 5, Aboriginal Services for the Delta/Surrey area, is doing a bit of a shuffle. Four of 7 teams are being re-figured to a new model of practice, with an expanded role for Guardianship workers, who will be involved with children at an earlier stage than in previous models of practice.
I'm excited for the change; not only do I feel it will better serve kids, but I feel it will better support Family Development Response and Family Services staff. It's different than the past, integrated model, where workers did everything from Intake to Family Services and TCO's to Guardianship and CCO's. Senior workers who have done this role have been pretty clear that didn't work (such as Tracy Young at
Advocacy BC).
I'm also nervous, because change, whether interpreted as "good" or "bad", is always stressful.
I have no idea if I'll continue working with my current supervisor when the changes are implemented. I like the other 3 supervisors, but I really LIKE my boss. I trust her decision making - it's not fear-based, she trusts mine and she's taken the time to learn how to support my needs for clinical supervision. I know one of the other supervisors fairly well, and I think the same relationship would be easy to develop. I also anticipate there would be a similarity with the other two Team Leaders I don't know, but still, it's CHANGE.
I think some workers are quite happy for the opportunity to do something new. A few of my close colleagues have been doing the same work for 6 to 9 years, and are TIRED of the client group or worker role they've been doing for so long. I hope management can satisfy as many workers as possible, because I think that would bring in some excitement, a sense of freshness.
Overall, I'm aware of the extra stress, especially as I try to catch up with my documentation in preparation for the eventual shift in workers, teams and caseloads.
And I'm still building the important community relationships that keep me inspired to continue working for government. For example, today I met with a First Nations Policing Liaison officer. The work he does in the community, the thorough knowledge he has of Aboriginal social and political justice issues, the passionate way he speaks, inspired and renewed my sense of purpose in my career as an advocate for social justice, not just as a child protection worker. It's these kinds of supportive professional relationships that keep me going through the changes.
