Every waking moment we are not really awake. We fail to notice the small things that have a much larger significance. For far too long the story of those who receive human service supports and those who deliver the supports each day of the year remains a mere blip on the public radar screen. Most American citizens who don’t receive services or have never had a need for human service don’t fully understand what this process is about and what it means to our society. Many people still confuse Human Services with the profession of Human Resources, which is prominent in today’s workplace but has little to do with Human Services as they exist in the public sector. Those who are relatively well educated seem to be suffering from a severe human service deficiency. They too are lacking the awareness and knowledge of service delivery and service supports processes. They do not see nor comprehend what the day to day challenges are in delivering services to some of society’s most vulnerable people.
Teachers on the other hand, have been in the public eye for many years with their legitimate issues of underpay, lack of adequate supplies and materials and other indiginities. They have been forced for political purposes, to teach to standards that have very little to do with real learning and education. Most citizens have been made aware of these issues and understand them fairly well. This may be due to the fact that all of us at some point in our lives are mandated to go to school.
Teachers have strong unions both nationally and locally. These educators have become an important base for politicians who support public education. As a result, many people are now aware of the struggle that they endure daily particularly in poorly funded inner-city schools, and rural and remote communities. Through the years they have received a high level of respect at times, as many people see the value in education and the ultimate benefits that last a lifetime. Their salaries have improved exponentially yet still are advocating for more pay and better conditions, as many people still seem to be empathic to their plight.
Unlike human service workers, teachers have been positively portrayed in movies, TV, books, theater etc. I challenge you to recall how many times you have seen a TV show that focused on a social worker or an individual working with vulnerable people in a positive or negative vein in a group home, nursing home, or other such places where people seek and receive services. I can think of very few examples most of which are very weak or negative. In the show “Alf”, Willie worked in the New York Welfare system and he had an alien (not illegal, but from space) living in his house, not a very positive or strong image that values the profession. Another example is “Norm” were the main character played by Norm McDonald of Saturday Night Live Fame, plays an ex- hockey player who is caught gambling on hockey games. He is punished by the court and is assigned to work in a public welfare office, again not a positive or valued image.So many Americans have their lives defined by what they see on TV or through other forms of media. This is not a small issue or minor consideration. The very large world of human services is a four billion-dollar a year industry in North America, yet is still not in the public eye.
Human service workers are not in the public conscience and are largely invisible as are the majority of people they serve. Historically our society by way of public policy has chosen to marginalize devalued people and those working with them by creating large segregated institutions. We have warehoused many people such as those with developmental disabilities, the mentally ill, the poor, the elderly etc. that society didn’t want to see or be aware of thus rendering them out of sight and out of mind. Although many of these segregated institutions have closed and people have returned to their communities they still remain largely invisible until an abhorrent behavior occurs. For example, someone dies in the custody of a human service agency, abused by a foster family or another infraction of the public trust in a system that is grossly under-funded and designed to replace the kind of care many received from their families. In fact, the human services system in many cases has become a surrogate family system for many people for many legitimate reasons are no longer connected or supported by their biological families or their local communities.
Negative news abounds, even though very few incidents of neglect or abuse occur during the many hours of care people receive from human service workers that support people in their daily needs and activities. The quality of care is often exemplary.
I don’t mean to suggest that service delivery systems are all excellent and perfect, not by any means. But it has been my experience over 30 years of working in human services and teaching college students how to become more effective workers and provide supports for those they serve,I still see a great deal of compassion and commitment in those who enter the field. There are large numbers of dedicated people who want to do their best for those they serve and their families. They do this with very little pay and certainly little thanks and recognition for the amazing things they do every day as part of their jobs and are expected to do every day. I hope more will see this work and that if someday they are there famies need human service supports, they will be there for them.
JBG
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