by Chattrelle Gillyard
The great Rumi once said that you can never become polished if you are annoyed by every rub. A career in social services is not for everyone – you always have to remain humble, be patient, and be constantly aware of your own biases. Many people who work in social services are often rubbed, challenged, or even disrespected by the population that they serve. Working with people experiencing homelessness is not any different. Working at Central Outreach and Advocacy Center I’ve definitely had my share of rubs, but I often ask myself, “Am I becoming polished?”
At Central OAC, we believe in meeting people where they are with patience and humility, and treating each person with respect and dignity. I have to remind myself that often, when a guest has an attitude, is being mean, or disrespectful it’s not usually a reflection of us or the work that we do. The guests we serve are human, just like us: they aren’t perfect, they have bad days, and they have trauma that causes them to react defensively. In order to meet someone where they are, you have to take the bumps and the bruises that come from the rubs. How else can you become polished?
Imagine not having a place to sleep, would you be in a bad mood? Imagine not knowing where your next meal will come from, would you have an attitude? Imagine not having access to a proper restroom at any given time in the day, would you be happy? Imagine the temperature dropping to below 40 and your sidewalk home or tent not keeping you warm, would you be easily offended? Now imagine going through all of that and trying to receive services from a social service agency, and you feel that they treat you unfairly. Many of our guests face this reality everyday so, when they arrive at our center, they aren’t in a great mood. They aren’t always respectful, and they are often frustrated. But no matter what, it is our job to treat them with dignity and respect, and to understand where they are in life at the moment. Does that make us polished?
Do you have to work at a social service agency to become polished? No way. Will you ever become completely polished? Probably not. But it is worth asking yourself a few things. Are you annoyed at every rub? Do you often get frustrated when someone gives you sass or has a bad attitude? Do you meet people where they are? Do you put your feelings to the side for the greater good? Are you quick to respond? Do you get angry quickly? How polished are you?