Quick positive post heading into the weekend... My housemate is out of town until Tuesday so looking forward to having the house to myself for a few days. I might make a yummy brunch tomorrow, do some business stuff and work out in the afternoon, then have a fun evening out at the chorale concert.
Plus, my supervisor brought up adding 2-3 more hours per week to my schedule today starting in December, since I have been so busy lately. Not a lot, but still helpful. She and the office manager know my plans to adopt, which I think is a positive for job security and more hours since we get along well and they seemed excited for me.
Showing posts with label non-profit job. Show all posts
Showing posts with label non-profit job. Show all posts
11/04/2016
Cool People
We had our staff retreat and appreciation day today and it was great! even though I had a mild headache for much of the afternoon. We did a super fun art project where we brainstormed all the positive things about the nonprofit then picked one and drew with oil pastels to visually express it. I really need to do art more often. We also talked about the successes of the organization last year and each shared a little bit about what we do and the program or service we work with. We also did a couple of fun cognitive exercises that got everyone laughing
After the retreat we went out to happy hour at a local restaurant. I had a really interesting and fairly deep conversation with a woman who sometimes assists or fills in for our art instructor. She was a little person. I've watched some of the TV shows with little people and - this is going to sound really stupid- but part of me looks at them as celebrities because of that. Anyway, I guess I got over that, and we had a really great conversation.
After today, I appreciate the organization all the more. Everyone talks about the people and culture similarly to how I've talked about it. Really kind and generous staff with a heart for helping others. And the community of clients is pretty amazing, too, and inspiring in the way they face the impacts of their brain injury and work to recover, and help each other to recover and feel better. Oh, and the Board gave us a $50 certificate to Amazon, which was super nice
After the retreat we went out to happy hour at a local restaurant. I had a really interesting and fairly deep conversation with a woman who sometimes assists or fills in for our art instructor. She was a little person. I've watched some of the TV shows with little people and - this is going to sound really stupid- but part of me looks at them as celebrities because of that. Anyway, I guess I got over that, and we had a really great conversation.
After today, I appreciate the organization all the more. Everyone talks about the people and culture similarly to how I've talked about it. Really kind and generous staff with a heart for helping others. And the community of clients is pretty amazing, too, and inspiring in the way they face the impacts of their brain injury and work to recover, and help each other to recover and feel better. Oh, and the Board gave us a $50 certificate to Amazon, which was super nice
11/02/2016
Grateful
I have to get used to this post a day thing… definitely a shift from once a week or so. Today I want to share briefly about two clients I worked with this afternoon at my nonprofit job. They were both under 30.
I did an in-person intake with the first one, who had a stroke five years ago due to a blood clot. She's recovered remarkably but still has balance issues, tremors, and difficulty speaking clearly and becoming emotionally overwhelmed. I'm really excited for her to get started with our therapeutic program next week. She said she's been feeling really depressed and anxious, being home alone all day while her boyfriend is at work. I think being engaged and doing therapeutic activities in a group will be really good for her.
The second woman isn't really a client, I guess, but she called in for support and resources. The problem is she didn't really have specific requests. She wanted rehabilitation and support to recover from three brain injuries - two in 2011 and one a couple months ago - but as we talked it became clear she really needed to stabilize with her mental health before anything else. She was speaking in a manic way, without filters and very rapidly. I was gradually able to draw out quite a few details, and ended up sending her information on our programs and recommending she request a referral from her neurologist for a therapist or neuropsychologist. She said she was moving to the city in about three weeks to live with her cousin, and I gave her the contact information for the UCSF neurology department, which accepts Medi-cal land has a great reputation. It's tough when I'm limited with what referral resources I can share with people, often based on their insurance and income level (though I'm glad to say our agencies programs are sliding scale), but at least I'm becoming more knowledgeable about what IS available and where to guide people.
Feeling lucky to be healthy and stable today, relatively secure and self-possessed. I'm reminded every day I'm at this job how quickly that can change.
I did an in-person intake with the first one, who had a stroke five years ago due to a blood clot. She's recovered remarkably but still has balance issues, tremors, and difficulty speaking clearly and becoming emotionally overwhelmed. I'm really excited for her to get started with our therapeutic program next week. She said she's been feeling really depressed and anxious, being home alone all day while her boyfriend is at work. I think being engaged and doing therapeutic activities in a group will be really good for her.
The second woman isn't really a client, I guess, but she called in for support and resources. The problem is she didn't really have specific requests. She wanted rehabilitation and support to recover from three brain injuries - two in 2011 and one a couple months ago - but as we talked it became clear she really needed to stabilize with her mental health before anything else. She was speaking in a manic way, without filters and very rapidly. I was gradually able to draw out quite a few details, and ended up sending her information on our programs and recommending she request a referral from her neurologist for a therapist or neuropsychologist. She said she was moving to the city in about three weeks to live with her cousin, and I gave her the contact information for the UCSF neurology department, which accepts Medi-cal land has a great reputation. It's tough when I'm limited with what referral resources I can share with people, often based on their insurance and income level (though I'm glad to say our agencies programs are sliding scale), but at least I'm becoming more knowledgeable about what IS available and where to guide people.
Feeling lucky to be healthy and stable today, relatively secure and self-possessed. I'm reminded every day I'm at this job how quickly that can change.
10/15/2016
It Means the World
I am noticing something interesting with regard to my non-profit brain-injury recovery organization job.
While I do NOT enjoy the long commute, including a toll payment, it means the world to me to be welcomed and treated with kindness, sensitivity, and respect each day that I'm there. It makes me realize how other jobs really lacked these things and how there was always some stress and disconnection while I was there because of it. I experience stress at the non-profit, but it's the good, normal kind of stress where you're working hard to accomplish your assigned tasks; tasks you know are helping people receive the services and support they need. And people are always ready to help.
Also, I actually receive *appreciation* for the work I do. Imagine that! Three specific ways I have received appreciation: first, my supervisor is totally awesome, funny, and sweet and she says, "Thank you very much" all the time. Part of this I think is her Japanese culture, and sometimes we joke around and she says it in ironic ways. :) But often it's sincere verbalization of thank you, which feels good.
Secondly, as staff at a non-profit that provides much needed services, our Executive Director and the Board regularly appreciate and recognize us. On birthdays, the tradition is to buy a cake and recognize staff by singing happy birthday. When our Office Manager got engaged, the ED bought her flowers. When a staff member recently left, we were all taken out for wine and hors d'oevres, and we have an upcoming staff retreat and appreciation day, which I'm looking forward to - not everyone loves interactive games and activities but I do! :) - and we will go out for dinner afterwards.
Thirdly, yesterday my boss said she wanted to share appreciation with me. She said that this is the first class cycle for the ITCP (Individualized Thereapeutic Computer Program) that has been full with a waitlist. She said she was talking with the ED about how she thinks it's related to how I connect and communicate with our new clients. She also took steps to respond to my concerns about not having enough time to do intake appointments, including changing a key process with how we do intakes, and saying that I could start to work a few hours from home soon (!).
Is it strange that part of me wants to stay there, despite the commute and making half as much money as I do at a college? The larger part will take the short commute and more money for what I know are good reasons (plus I don't love all the forms and tracking requirements), but when I leave, I will be losing some really great connections and the best work culture I have ever had.
While I do NOT enjoy the long commute, including a toll payment, it means the world to me to be welcomed and treated with kindness, sensitivity, and respect each day that I'm there. It makes me realize how other jobs really lacked these things and how there was always some stress and disconnection while I was there because of it. I experience stress at the non-profit, but it's the good, normal kind of stress where you're working hard to accomplish your assigned tasks; tasks you know are helping people receive the services and support they need. And people are always ready to help.
Also, I actually receive *appreciation* for the work I do. Imagine that! Three specific ways I have received appreciation: first, my supervisor is totally awesome, funny, and sweet and she says, "Thank you very much" all the time. Part of this I think is her Japanese culture, and sometimes we joke around and she says it in ironic ways. :) But often it's sincere verbalization of thank you, which feels good.
Secondly, as staff at a non-profit that provides much needed services, our Executive Director and the Board regularly appreciate and recognize us. On birthdays, the tradition is to buy a cake and recognize staff by singing happy birthday. When our Office Manager got engaged, the ED bought her flowers. When a staff member recently left, we were all taken out for wine and hors d'oevres, and we have an upcoming staff retreat and appreciation day, which I'm looking forward to - not everyone loves interactive games and activities but I do! :) - and we will go out for dinner afterwards.
Thirdly, yesterday my boss said she wanted to share appreciation with me. She said that this is the first class cycle for the ITCP (Individualized Thereapeutic Computer Program) that has been full with a waitlist. She said she was talking with the ED about how she thinks it's related to how I connect and communicate with our new clients. She also took steps to respond to my concerns about not having enough time to do intake appointments, including changing a key process with how we do intakes, and saying that I could start to work a few hours from home soon (!).
Is it strange that part of me wants to stay there, despite the commute and making half as much money as I do at a college? The larger part will take the short commute and more money for what I know are good reasons (plus I don't love all the forms and tracking requirements), but when I leave, I will be losing some really great connections and the best work culture I have ever had.
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