By ellie
This article explores how cultural backgrounds influence staff understanding and responses to trauma-informed and harm reduction practices within community social service teams. Aimed at leaders, it highlights the importance and benefits of taking a culturally sensitive approach to support team learning, build trust, and strengthen the implementation of these practices. Fostering Inclusive Practices in a … Continued
By ellie
Unlike physical injuries, which are often immediate and visible, psychological injuries tend to develop gradually and are more difficult to detect. As support workers, we’re often trained to recognize emotional distress in others but not always in ourselves. When you’re constantly caring for others, it’s easy to overlook the subtle signals your own body and … Continued
By ellie
Social services work inevitably challenge workers’ values directly and personally. The nature of the work often brings you face-to-face with ethical dilemmas, cultural complexity, and systemic inequities that can challenge your beliefs and assumptions. As a social service worker, you may need to balance the expectations of your organization with your own personal and cultural … Continued
By ellie
Dr. Ellen Choi and Yuri Cho In today’s diverse workplace, unconscious biases can inadvertently lead to unfair decisions, hinder inclusivity, and stifle innovation. Implementing strategies to address it at both organizational and individual levels is crucial for building truly equitable and thriving environments; however, this requires a willingness to understand how unconscious bias is experienced … Continued
By ellie
Have you ever asked yourself or a teammate “What’s it like to work with me?” For most people, this question can be understandably intimidating. It invites vulnerability and self-awareness which can make us feel uncomfortable. However, when asked with curiosity and openness, it can be an important tool for connection, reflection and psychological safety at … Continued
By ellie
If you have trouble communicating with others at work in an effective way while maintaining collaborative relationships, you are not alone. A statistic on workplace communication showed that 86% of employees and senior leadership believed that a lack of effective collaboration and communication was the cause of most workplace failures.1 The Importance of Empathetic Communication … Continued
By ellie
Welcome to our safety huddle, specially designed for the community social services sector. These resources are designed to support both individual practitioners and organizational leaders in building sustainable, effective practices. You’ll learn: Read our tips for Bridging Differences in Values and Leading Through Differences in Values also available as printable handouts, and watch the video below … Continued
By ellie
This resource is part of Safety Huddle: Navigating Differences in Values for those who work in community social services. Download the Navigating Differences in Values quick reference guide as a handy resource or watch the video. In the workplace, we often encounter individuals whose values differ significantly from our own, especially in social services where … Continued
By ellie
This resource is part of Safety Huddle: Navigating Differences in Values for those who work in community social services. Download the Leading Through Differences in Values quick reference guide or watch the video. As leaders in community social services, managers and employers face the dual challenge of supporting staff through values conflicts while maintaining high-quality … Continued
By ellie
Grief is quite common and often an unspoken part of social service work. As the toxic drug crisis worsens, particularly with the increase of benzodiazepine-laced drugs that naloxone cannot reverse, frontline response efforts have grown more complex.1 Overdose-related loss is becoming more frequent and widespread, making it harder to keep grief unspoken. The Hidden Cost … Continued
