Lori, Social Support Worker, Multi-service agency, Southwestern Ontario Region
What I do is I work alongside a community support worker, they set the goals that the clients want to reach and I go in and assist them with those goals….I work with 14 to 25 clients depending on what is needed ….I can be working with them for 6 weeks or for years.
You build a rapport with them, you know what they are working towards, what they are comfortable with you. They know that they are reaching their goals, they are going to get there, having someone they feel safe and secure with helps them along the way.
Some of the goals can include… personal hygiene, keeping the house organized, budgeting, learning how to plan menus, proper nutrition, getting around town on the bus, getting connected with other community resources, finding apartments to live in, hooked up with phones, so they are independent with everything they do in their own place.
I think having a rapport with them, and letting them know they are just like everyone else, everyone has difficulties in their life, they are just getting a little extra help for it as I would at times and other people would too, so just letting them know that it is okay to have an issue and get it taken care of, I think that's what helps.
Seeing them achieve their goals, or seeing them learn to do something for themselves that they have been trying for 10 years and finally they are able to do it by themselves and to see a smile on their face… or when they move to a new apartment and their life is totally changed around or you hooked them up with community resources they say they never knew was out there and through having that hook up they are able to go forward in their life is the best reward ever.