Translating theory into practice...

So now I have this new job that I was looking for... Now what. It is very easy to talk the talk but now its time to walk the walk. Not on my beloved mountain here at the southern tip of Africa but in the day to day walk at work. I know a lot, I have been studying for 4 years, ok, so maybe I have also forgotten a lot. But I look forward to the challenge of starting to be able to put into practice all those ideas and ways of being that are described so well in the textbooks and that I have spent hours putting into assignments that test my knowledge.

So where in actual fact do I begin. I think Carl Rogers four conditions for being person centred come into play here. Congruence, empathy, respect and unconditional positive regard. What a way to be with people! So there are also times when I might feel a bit stressed and having to meet deadlines, both for the organisation and with the end of year exams, and all might fly out the window. But I have the grounding and a few years of experience to build on, its not that its going to be a huge mind shift - like being sent to Ethiopia, its just down the road in my own city, so its not going to be too foreign.

The first week of orientation is behind me, to get acquainted with the structures and mindset of the business and all seems well. I imagine that week two is where delivery is expected and there are already a few ideas that are running around my brain/mind that may be worthwhile exploring at our weekly team meetings.

So look out for some more posts of a student social worker in the field of older persons in a changing South Africa.