atisfaction
comes first and foremost from an inner calling or sense of purpose.
People who are happy in child and youth care work are driven by a fire
in their belly, a gut feeling, a mission to be with and help empower
children. In this extract from his book Job Satisfaction for Child
and Youth Care Workers, Mark offers a number of characteristics of satisfied
child and youth care workers, and then offers some tips for increasing
satisfaction:
Satisfied workers
They
maintain their passion and commitment. Although their feelings
change over time and they go through periods of highs and
lows, they never forget their initial excitement or lose their
desire to help.
Sometimes after a hard day, Jack wonders why he chose youth work.
The pay is not good and the work is tiring and demanding.
Beneath it all, though, he knows there is nothing else he would
rather do or that would be more fulfilling. He is here because he
wants to be. When he doubts himself, he talks to others and renews
his commitment.
They find satisfaction in small
things: a smile, a quiet moment sitting together with a child, a
youth combing his hair, a good try, an expressed feeling, making a
bed, etc.
Ken records with excitement the following changes in his log notes.
"Willy combed his hair for the first time. John said hello
today instead of ‘fuck you.’ Tony and Maria played together for the
first time without arguing."
They learn from adversity and
struggle. Unlike other workers who burn out or get bogged down in
problems, satisfied workers view child and youth care work as a
challenge in which they learn from successes and failures. They
enjoy overcoming obstacles.
Greg has just finished breaking up a fight. The two boys are off to
the side, cooling off. He is angry and still a bit frightened, but
he is thinking already about how he will prevent it next time.
Their alertness, awareness,
movement, play, and interaction are enhanced by good physical
health. They get lots of rest, eat well, and stay in shape.
Maria jogs three times a week before coming to work. In summer, she
bikes on weekends and in winter she cross-country skis. She watches
what she eats and gets the proper amount of sleep.
They plan and prepare in advance to
ensure positive interactions and outcomes.
Nadia comes in early to organize her day. She goes over her notes
and thinks through what she wants to accomplish on her shift.
They find enjoyment in learning
about themselves and others, and from peers, clients, mentors,
classes, workshops, books, and articles.
Erika listens to her colleagues and the children. She gets engaged
in discussions that challenge her to think about herself and the way
she does things. After hours, she tries to stay abreast of what’s
being written in journals and books. Whenever she can, she attends
workshops. She’s eager to learn as much as she can.
They take pleasure in the process
as well as the outcomes of interacting with children and families.
They enmesh themselves in activities. They love the action.
On most days, Jeff can’t wait to get to work. He likes to play,
swim, work, joke, talk, and just hang out with the kids.
They find fulfillment in carrying
out and learning from decisions that they have helped make. They
seek autonomy and consensus.
The team members at the neighborhood center like their autonomy.
They enjoy making decisions about everything from daily activities
to budgets. Sometimes, their decisions don’t work out, but they are
able to learn from their experiences.
They view the achievement of
short-term personal goals as part of their long-range plan of
professional development.
Kathy has high expectations for herself and the children. She knows,
however, that to achieve these expectations, she and they will have
to go through a series of steps. Thus, she has developed a clear set
of learning objectives for herself and for the children.
They laugh together, at themselves,
and with the children and parents.
Often the workers at the center tell funny stories about their
experiences. The humor provides the energy boost they need. There
are many humorous events at work. They are careful, though, not to
laugh at the children. They laugh with them and at
themselves.
They are assertive. They know what
they want and have the capacity to articulate their wants in a
fruitful manner.
"I’ve thought about how we can change our work schedule to better
meet the needs of the children and allow us each a few more weekend
hours off" Daniel says as he passes out the schedule he worked on
for several days.
They believe in and have tremendous
pride in what they are doing.
Nick sweeps the floor at night and plays basketball with the same
enthusiasm he displays when telling others about his job.
They are open and approachable.
Mary listens intently as Louisa suggests that she try ignoring Tony
when he is trying to distract her. "Okay," Mary says.
"I
think I’ll try that. It sounds like a good idea."
They leave their problems from work
at work. They try to resolve disagreements or solve problems before
they go home.
Pam walks over to BilI at the end of their shift.
"Can we
talk a minute?" she asks. "Sure," he responds.
"When you jumped in when I was trying to discipline Alicia
today, I was upset," says Pam. "I appreciate your willingness to
help, but I’m trying to establish my own authority with the kids
Personal
Sources of Satisfaction
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